The Bridge
by starryreloaded
Summary: Once you have crossed, you can never go back.
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: I own the previous three Naomi stories. This is an updated version.

I won't tell you my real name. It's apart of a life that's dead to me now. A life I once had, but now no longer exists. Looking back, I had a pretty decent life. Kind of dull, but I had a loving family, a best friend, pretty much anything a teenage girl could ask for. But they no longer exist where I am now.

Looking back on that day, I guess you could say it started like another. But it will forever be a day etched into the deepest corners of my memory. I am no longer half the girl I had spent the morning examining in front of the mirror, as was my usual routine.

Physically, there may be no change. The same platinum blonde hair brushes my shoulders as it did that morning, maybe now a few inches longer. The same dark blue eyes stare into the world as they did into that mirror, but now these eyes have seen more now then anyone could have ever imagined. Somehow the flecks of silver laced in the blue still have a way catching the light.

Now, I won't sit here telling you that I am some sort of super anything. At least I wasn't back then. I was just an ordinary girl with ordinary problems. Sitting in front of the mirror, wishing I was prettier, skinnier, or whatever.

I wish I had such problems now.

Starryreloaded-So, if this seems familiar, check my bio, it explains everything. I am NOT stealing. I can hardly steal from myself. If you're a new reader, please don't spoil by reading my first copies of these stories. They were successful (check the reviews), but I can promise you these will be even better.


	2. How it starts

I drum my fingers against the cold desk. Sighing I look up in unfocused eyes at Mrs. Dorski, who was apparently saying something very important that I should be listening to. I tried, but it didn't work. Honestly. It's Friday.

A soft thud on the side of my head caused me to jump slightly in alarm. A crumbled piece of lined notebook paper bounced off my head and down onto the floor under Johns desk.

I grinned, looking up to Naomi. She pointed excitedly to the note she had thrown at me that was now resting on the floor. I laughed softly, looking around to see if the coast was clear to snatch the note.

I pretended to drop my pencil and leaned out of my seat (completely inconspicuously by the way) and grabbed the note. John glared down at me from his seat and scooted his desk away. Apparently I am disrupting his educational experience.

It's ok though. As I have told him before, someday smart boys like him will dominate the business field and people like me will work for him. So he should take it in strides.

I up righted myself put the note in my lap. I carefully peel apart the note while Naomi from accross the room absolutely shuddered in anticipation.

It was a picture. If Mrs. Dorski. With a penis.

I laughed softly, tucking the note into my pocket realizing how Mrs. Dorski might not find this as funny as Naomi and I do. I looked up and grinned at my best friend. She was pretending to sleep on her desk, her bright green eyes shut, and her dark curls covering her freckled cheeks. A couple kids next to her giggled as the teacher took three long strides to be beside her, and looked down disapprovingly. I tried so hard to keep my laughter in that my cheeks puffed out slightly and my eyes began to burn.

"Miss Rose?"

No answer

"Miss Rose!"

"uhhh?" Naomi began to "wake up" and rubbed her eyes.

"Miss Rose, if my class is too early in the morning for you I would be happy to reschedule you to detention."

"Oh, no thank you. I am awake now" She smiled up sweetly, picking up her pencil and looking to Mrs. Dorski expectantly.

"Mrs. Dorski" I raised my hand, "I think you are hindering Naomi's educational experience. That's a crime" I added helpfully.

"That's enough." Mrs. Dorski's voice cracked like a cranky old whip, as she made her way back to the front of the room and rapped her aged knuckles on the wooden desk.

"I will have no more distractions, understood?"She paused for a moment before continuing the lecture, this time she seemed intent to finish the chapter before Naomi got to rambunctious again.

I swallowed a laugh and looked to Naomi. She was pretending to sleep again. I snorted, but hid my smile in my human geography text book. I can't help it; Naomi has always been a class clown, ever since we were in kindergarten. She always seemed to bring out the worst in me in the best way. Some say she's a bad influence on me, I say she's my savior.

The soft sound of chalk on the chalkboard announced an assignment. Oh great; an essay about the Renaissance. History is in the past, who actually cares what happened a couple hundred years ago? I frowned as I flipped open my planner and scribbled down the assignment, realizing my writing was so sloppy that I couldn't read what was last periods assignment. I tilted my planner to a different angle, trying to distinguish what I had written. I sighed, realizing it was futile.

I dreamily look up from my incoherent writing to the white faced clock in the back of the room. Twenty minutes left. It's almost unbearable really. Torture one might say. I take out the note Naomi wrote a few minutes ago to me. I figured it would be just rude not to respond and what am I going to do for twenty minutes anyway?

I scribble a few words of drabble on the note. I can't remember exactly, only that the English language was slaughtered. "U"'s for "you", for "at" and so forth. I don't know why I even bother learning English anyway.

I re-crumpled the small bit of paper and waited for Naomi to "wake up" again. She finally lifted her head and stretched her arms out as far as she could, yawning and smacking her lips together. In my opinion, this girl is genius. I wave under my desk to get her attention. She finally noticed and I gestured to the note. She smiled and nodded her head ferociously, looking up to make sure Mrs. Dorski's back was turned. I placed the note one the center of my desk, taking aim and flicking it.

I watched in amusement as the note sailed across the room. Naomi leaned forward, intent on catching it.

It's impossible to describe what happened next.

I blinked. Nothing happened. The note had just stopped in mid air.

I blinked again. I stared at it, as it hung in the air. Bewildered, I turned to Naomi for some sort of explanation. She had this stupid grin plastered to her face as her eyes stared unblinkingly on the note that was mere inches from her. She was half raised out of her seat, leaning across the desk with her hand out stretched. The bit of paper was brushing her finger tips, but unmoving she remained.

I looked over at Mrs. Dorski whose back was still turned to us. Her chalk was resting in the middle of an uncompleted letter E on the board. Her mouth was hanging open as if she was mid-word.

Dead silence. Unreal silence. Unnatural silence. My brain was working so slowly, trying to grasp this unreal concept. No one could move. Could I move? I looked down at my hand and wiggled my fingers. I stood up slowly; halve expecting to be screeched at for standing during class. My mouth gaped and mouth words that couldn't seem to form. Almost like a dream, quite aware of each and every move I made, I mechanically crept down the rows of desks.

Rachel's pencil was raised above her paper as if she was preparing to write down the assignment.

Sarah appeared to be working out a knot in her hair with her fingers and her pencil had rolled off her desk and stuck in mid air.

Alex's eyes were focused on the paper too, a thoughtful expression on his face, like he was debating whether to jump up and snatch the paper and read it.

John was again trying to move his desk as far away from mine as possible, a set look of frustration on his small round face as his glasses seemed to teeter on his small nose.

There was no movement from anyone at all. It was like someone had taken a picture, everyone was frozen it what they had been doing a few seconds earlier. 

I crept to Naomi's side; staring disbelievingly at what I was sure wasn't true.

"Naomi?" I whispered, my voice trembling "What's wrong with you?" She didn't answer. She was still in the same position. Hand out reached. I looked over to where her fingers were just inches from grabbing the note. My trembling fingers reached out and touched her warm arm. Its not like she had turned to stone, it's just like she couldn't move. I looked over to the paper. I uncertainly plucked it out of the air. I opened it, just to make sure it was really mine. My eyes scanned the familiar writing.

It was the second my eyes left that paper that the panic kicked in. People don't just freeze! They just don't! I dropped the paper on the ground. The room seemed to swim as I felt sick with fear. My eyes darted back and forth, desperate for something. Anything!

I slowly backed out of the room. As if I expected the statues to jump to life.

As I walked down the hall, I desperately looked in the other classrooms. But every room I looked in was the same as my class. Unmoving.

Am I having a stroke? Is this what happens? Is this real? Am I imagining this? Is my stroke making me imagine this?! What is a stroke anyways?!

My thoughts screamed in my ears as I felt my feet pound on the hard floor. When did I start running? I was breathing hard. Adrenalin pounding in my veins.

This can't be real. I don't understand.

The sound of thudding shoes in an empty hall was suddenly replaced by a squeaking and sloshing sound. I looked down to see the entire hall flooded with about an inch of water. What? Flooded? When did the hall flood? It is a stroke! I knew it! I just have no idea what's happening! I'm hallucinating, that's it.

"What the hell!" I yelled, more in frustration then fear. I knew this shouldn't be happening. But for some reason it was. Then I blinked, and saw that the water was gone. I'm just hallucinating, I thought. I began to get frustrated at myself. I couldn't explain what was happening. Only that it couldn't be real. Suddenly my voice reputed from my throat,

"Can anybody hear me? Help! Anybody, please!"

My voice rang and echoed though the looming, empty halls, and was rewarded by sheer and utter silence. Panic kicked up in me again full throttle and my feet began beating the linoleum again. I don't know how long I just ran around desperately looking for any one, I probably never would have stopped if I hadn't run into to two very solid things.

I cried out as I fell onto my butt. I looked up to see just what I had run into. Two seniors had obviously ditched class to make out in a corner of the school though had thought no one would find them.

I didn't bother standing up, or feel ashamed that I could see up the girl's skirt from where I sat stunned. I drew my knees up to my chest and hid my face in them.

Should I try to leave? What if the entire world is like this? Why am I the only one affected? Or worst. What if I have lost my mind, and am just running around like a lunatic, imaging all sorts of weird stuff?

Then, my head snapped up. I listened intently, to make sure I made no mistakes. My heart skipped a beat when I realized what I was hearing was the sound of the padding of soft shoes on hard tile. 


	3. The first encounter

I sprinted towards the sound. I dashed down hallways, skidding as I turned corners and blindly followed my hearing as the sound drew closer. Almost menacingly.

"Hello?" I called, desperate for anyone. I heard a soft whoosh farther up the hall as a dark figure caught the corner of my eye.

"Hello?" I repeated much more softly and carefully. I turned the corner to see a bit of cloth whip around the corner at the end of the hall.

I ran to the end of the hall and turned the corner to skid to a stop. In front of me was a cloaked figure with its back to me. Its must have heard me because it turned to me, but its face was still hidden in the folds of the midnight blue cloak.

My voice exploded out of me, louder then I intended it to be.

"Oh my fucking god!! You have to help me!! You see, I was in class, and then the note just stopped! Then I ran into them in the stair well and then I heard-"

The cloaked figure raised a slender hand to silence me. Then the figure removed the hood on its cloak. I just stared. She was a girl, no older than myself. Under the folds of the cloak, her slender body was hugged by a black body suit. On her feet, were soft midnight blue pointed shoes, like elf shoes. Her skin had an unhealthy gray tint to it, a look of someone who it had been years since she could live in the light. Her eyes were so blue they were almost black, so blue, it was hard to tell where the black of her pupils ended and the color began. Her untended indigo hair fell limply against her skull and on her forehead was a red diamond symbol.

All I could do was stare at her. I don't think I've ever seen her at school before, I thought, Have I ever seen her? Who was she? What was she?

She seemed to read my mind, because then she spoke in a husky expressionless voice,

"I'm Raven."

Something wasn't right about her, something just wasn't human. Her outfit? Her expressionless face? Everything? I finally looked away from her.

"What happed?" I asked looking at the ground, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"Oh, to your school? I merely froze them." She seemed rather pleased with herself, as she crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "It's quite a simple spell really, I froze the people and objects, but not the time."

She gestured a classroom with a door ajar. The two students stood in front of the class, presenting a poster. They were as still as statues, but in the corner of the room, a working clock's second hand moved steadily around the numbers.

"You did?" I asked weakly feeling like my legs were going to give way.

"Yes you see, on my planet," She began, and then stopped when she saw the expression on my face. "I'll spare you the details," She said more to herself than to me. "Listen all you need to know is that….we are the good guys, ok? My associates and I.

"Oh, ok" I mumbled lamely, staring at the girl.

She saw the doubt on my face and said,

"My associates will talk to you later this is just a message." She turned and started walking away.

"Oh, no. No, no, no! Wait!" I exclaimed. I reached out to grab her shoulder. The second my fingers brushed the smooth fabric of the cloak, I felt a jolt run threw my body, the kind you feel as you awake from a strange dream. My eyes flew open and found my self sitting back in my familiar desk back in class.

I heard the scratching of pencils on paper. I looked up and saw Mrs. Dorski had not only completed the E and the board, but the rest of the word as well. My head snapped around just in time to see Naomi swipe the air for the note that I had already taken out of the air. She frowned, looking confused, and started looked around for it. She failed to see that it was by her feet, where I had dropped it.

A shrill bring of the passing bell startled me to the point of nearly falling out of my seat.

"Oh!" Mrs. Dorski exclaimed. "I was sure we had more time! Well never mind. Remember, your reports are due on Thursday, have a nice weekend." The familiar hum of passing period filled the halls. There was scuffling as the rest of the class gathered their belongings and headed out the door.

But I just sat there in daze. Had I imagined it? Had it just been a dream?

"I lost the note, sorry!" I looked up to see Naomi standing over me. "It didn't say anything important did it? I think Alex might have taken it, bastard!" She looked at me expecting me to suggest we jump Alex and get the note back. But I just sat there looking at my desk. Concern filled her face.

"Are you ok? You don't look so good. Are you sick or something? Don't be sick!!! You can't go home and leave me alone 7th period! Ashley is in that class, I can't face it alone!" I looked up at her.

"No. I'm not sick."

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yeah I'm sure." I replied slowly.

"Ok then, come on!!" She said wildly, grabbing my hand and practically lifting me to my feet. I glanced over my shoulder as she pulled me out of the room, staring at my empty chair.


	4. The second encounter

"So will you join us?"

Robin leaned against the wall of my room, his arms crossed. I looked up at him from where I sat on my bed. He looked a little funny, I had to admit. He wore a gray sweatshirt with jeans, completely normal, except for his mask that covered his eyes. I guess he always wears it.

I fiddled with the zipper on my jacket nervously and sighed. Even after him explaining everything about the Titans, it still felt weird. I mean, honestly. It's not exactly something that happens every day.

Superheroes?

"I don't know," I replied uncertainly, "I mean….I don't even know for sure I have super powers."

"Well, nothing is known for sure," he replied with a warm smile, taking a seat next to me on the bed, causing me to bounce slightly, "But we have our sources."

"What sources?" I asked in sudden alarm, wondering if I had been spied on.

"Don't worry about that now," he said a little too quickly, "It will all make sense soon." 

"Oh,... ok"

Then I thought for a minute.

"Oh, and Robin?" He looked at me and smiled.

"Yes?"

"Let's say….lets say I did join you and your band of super people, where would that be exactly? I've never even heard of you. Is it a secret place?"

The smile slid off his face, and started staring at the ground like the carpet was fascinating.

"Well...um... see, if you were going to join us you'd have to come back to the future with us." He replied.

My face twisted into confusion. Back to the future? When is now then? When is the future?

"You mean..."

"Yeah, were not from this period of time. I traveled about 150 years into the past to try to persuade you to join us. And trust me," he said, impressively. "Even being a Titan, it it's hard to get permission to time travel, it's very dangerous. We have to be sure not to leave any traces; even the tiniest footprint could affect the future. That's why Raven couldn't just talk to you. She had to freeze time, so there'd be no witnesses."

"Can I still come back for a visit? Sometime…?"

Even through his mask, I could see his grim expression.

I sat there in my chair in a trace, letting the new information wash over me. I'd have to leave everything. My friends. My family. My school. My world as I know it! Who knows what the future holds? Robin seemed to read my mind, because he stood up, and stretched and left me to my thoughts. I followed him absentmindedly, lost in thought. He started inspecting my house. I heard him murmur.

"Primitive design," As he looked at my toaster in my kitchen.

"Don't you have any androids?" he asked.

"What?" I asked being jerked out of my trance.

"You know, robots, to fight and stuff." He said as if it was obvious.

"No, but we do have a blender." I replied in monotone, joking out of habit.

"Crazy." He muttered.

"So….what is the future, like?"

"We look back on these times as The Quiet Times," he said, trying to fill me in. "In about 70 years from now the first aliens land on earth and give Earth a jump start on technology."

"Aliens?" I asked, curiosity rising inside me.

"Yeah," he said smiling once more, "You actually met one today."

"Raven?" I vaguely remembered her mentioning something about "her planet".

"Yup!" 

"Wow!" I had always wondered about life on other planets. A real live alien! But my excitement dwindled.

"But my life..." I looked around the house I had grown up in. Everything I own, everything I held dear would be gone. I heard his quiet footsteps come up behind me.

He put his hand on my shoulder,

"I know its hard," he whispered softly, "Its a decision I had to make too, we all did, but its up to you."

He took his hand off my shoulder and started walking towards the door. "Ill be back in two weeks," he informed gravely, "I'm sorry, but that's all the time I can give you. I told you already, we can't mess with the past too much." He paused, "Listen, you were meant for so much more than this. You were meant to do something great. There's a time, when you realize that if you have the power to help…you need to. The future is much more dangerous. People would live in fear, if it weren't for people like my friends and I. And I hope you too." 

I didn't turn around. My eyes burned, but I didn't want this strange boy to see. I shuddered and sank into a chair and refused to look up at him.

With that I heard the door close. I let out a shuddering breath, and sank deeper into my soft chair. 

I was leaning against my periwinkle blue wall. My arms were crossed. I watched as Robin was sitting on my bed, looking through my CDs. It was exactly two weeks from when I had first met him.

"How….retro" He cocked and eyebrow at me. I just grinned and shrugged.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he continued to look through my CDs, scoffing at a couple of them.

"Sure." I replied. That was a huge lie. I looked a wreak. My eyes were blood shot from lack of sleep, if you look closely at my cheeks, you can see little traces where the salt from my tears had rubbed my skin raw. But I refused to let anyone know that anything was wrong with me.

"What's this?" he asked as he held up a CD I hadn't listened to in, like, forever.

"The Spice Girls?" He asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Hey! I got that when I was like seven or something!" I said defensively, as I grabbed it out of his hand and set it on my desk.

"So you're sure you want to come?" he said changing the subject suddenly. I sighed,

"At first, I wasn't. But then I thought about it." I said quietly, not even recognizing the voice passing through my lips, "I realized that in fifty years, I don't want to look over my life and realize that I accomplished absolutely nothing. So many people just live and die. No one remembers them. They didn't matter. Their little pathetic lives didn't matter to any one but themselves. Besides," I added, "How many people get the chance to travel to the future where super teens and robots have battles on people's front lawns?"

"Well... not exactly on peoples fount lawns," he responded, then thoughtfully added, "Well not often. There was this one time."

"I don't even know if I could live with myself knowing that I could help people and I didn't. I don't think I could ever go back to normal life now" I was trying to sound more confident then I felt, trying to reassure myself that this was the right decision. Robin nodded, setting the stack of CDs back on the floor by the sterio.

"What will happen to my family?" I asked suddenly. Robin looked at me gravely.

"Remember? We can't leave any footprints. No traces." He smiled a small, sad smile. "You are too big of a trace to leave behind, even as a memory." 


	5. The team and wellness

It's weird. One minute, you have a family, friends, a home, everything a normal teen would take for granted. Then, in one short hour, all of your friends and family have been brainwashed to never know you existed. You have to put your entire life into two suitcases.

All of your records; birth certificates all traces of you have been destroyed. And you're on your way with a basic stranger, to some time "bridge in time" to take you to the rest of you life as a superhero.

Life is just funny I guess.

I wish I hadn't packed so much. Robin promised me new cloths, toothbrush, everything when we got to my new "home" as he enthusiastically called it. But some things you can't just replace. Like videotapes of when you were a baby, pictures of you and your friends, the teddy bear you've had the day you were born. It's harder that you might think. But it's also hard to drag two extra large suitcases through two miles of dense woods. Robin said that the bridge had to be where no one could find it.

"Are you sure, you know where this "bridge" is?" I asked him as I struggled to keep up behind him, knowing that he did, but I wanted reassurance.

"Of course I know where it is," he said a little crossly, looking back at me as he wove his way between the dense bushes and trees.

"Oh stop being such a man and stop and ask for directions." I laughed at my own joke. Robin smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Oh right, who would I ask, a tree?"

I looked at him in mock seriousness. "I actually saw a suspicious looking stump back there, we should circle back a mile and question it Mr. Superhero. It's your job."

He laughed out of politeness as he hoped over a log, and turned to help lift my suitcases over. I scrabbled over it, pitching forward, nearly falling. He grabbed me before I hit the ground and up righted me back to my feet.

He was stronger then he looked.

He finally decided that we would move faster if he just carried my suitcases and without effort lifted them and walked at a brisk pace. I watched in awe as he trooped through the misty forest, whipping out some sort of metal rod out of his pocket and beating back the brush to create a path for us.

I have never in my life seen anyone look more like a hero. I was taken with his confidence and leadership skills. I darted after him, not wanting to get left behind.

I walked so close behind him that I actually bumped him to him when he stopped abruptly.

"I found the bridge." He dropped my suitcases and stretched his arms over his head, looking almost pleased with himself.

I felt my stomach drop, but when I looked past him to it I could have laughed. A little red bride curved gracefully over a crystal blue stream, surrounded by lush, green vegetation was before us. There was this light mist that hung around this bridge, the air felt different here, kind of thicker than normal air.

"It's…. an actual bridge," I said, trying to hold back the tears that were stubbornly trying to fight their way out of my eyes. Robin looked uncomfortable; he obviously didn't know how to react to my tears.

So he turned away to give me some privacy.

"Raven's back already," he said in false cheerfulness, "Then you get to meet the rest of the team." I nodded even though he couldn't see it. I sighed and whispered silent good-byes the world I knew. Halve of me was halve expecting this to all be a joke. Or a dream. I don't think I really expected it to be real.

Then Robin turned around and lifted my suitcases and stepped up to the little bridge.

I looked at Robin, "What happens when you cross?" I asked my voice shaking nervously, feeling like maybe I should just turn around and go home.

"Here," he said kindly, "I'll show you." He took one of my suit cases and with ease, chucked it straight across the bridge; it vanished into thin air before it reached the other side.

"See?"

"Yeah…"

He smiled reassuringly. "You go first; I got your back, for the first of many times."

I walked up to my bridge and stopped short. Who knew that one step, one tiny movement of your feet and leg could be the hardest thing you ever had to do?

"The first step is the hardest," Robin whispered to me, "It was for all of us." I looked at the spot on the bridge I wanted my foot to go. My brain said go. My heart screamed stay. I shut my eyes while a war between heart and mind raged in my body. I let go of everything. My heart, my mind, everything.

Before I knew it, I felt wood beneath the sole of my shoe. I opened my eyes. It was like a misty dream. I felt my legs moving, but I couldn't feel my feet anymore, were my feet even touching the bridge anymore?

I felt numb, the sadness was too great. As I approached the edge of the bridge, I looked over the side at the beautiful, trickling stream. That was the last thing I saw in that life.

I yelped in surprise as I tripped and blindly fell into something… hard. I squeezed my eyes shut in pain.

"Hey, be careful little lady," a smooth calypso voice above me recommended. Eyes still shut; I instinctively raised my hand to be helped up. I felt a cold hard hand grasp mine and lift me completely of the floor. I opened my eyes and looked directly into one soft chocolate colored eye, that shown with kindness and sole, the other wasn't really an eye at all, but a red light behind a thin glass lens. I heard a low chuckle at my shock.

As I focused on the rest of him, I realized that most of him wasn't human at all. Most if him consisted of metal and wires. It's like someone threw a dark skinned young man and a bunch of electronics into a giant mixer and put it on "blend".

"Hey Cy, put her down before you hurt her," came Robins voice rose up behind me.

"Okay Robin." Said the metal men called "Cy" I guess. He lowered me down from eye level. Already he three heads taller than me and my feet haven't even touched the ground! It seemed like miles before my feet dropped softly back into the floor. I was becoming increasingly aware of how big this guy was as he loomed over me.

"I'm glad you're on my side!" I blurted out staring up at him, with my head craned back. Facing anyone taller than this guy seemed scary! Cy roared in laughter.

"Shut up Cyborg," Robin said, stepping next to me, and smiling.

"Wait, I thought it was Cy!" I said scrunching my eyes in confusion.

"That's his nickname," Robin explained.

"Oh," I said stupidly. I finally took a look around the room I had stumbled into. It was completely empty, with gray metal tiling on the floor ceilings and walls.

"Where's the bridge?" I asked looking around.

"It got destroyed the second we crossed," Robin said, bending over and picking up one of my suitcases that had a gigantic crack across the side from being thrown.

"Oh," I said sadly. Robin turned his attention to Cyborg.

"Where's Starfire and Beastboy?" he asked.

"Poor little green!" Cyborg said grinning knowingly, "Some maniac threw a suitcase across the bridge. Hit him right in the gut! The commotion he made would have you think he was dy'in or something. Starfire is tending to his "wounds" What an attention seeker."

Robin blushed and I found myself giggling. I could hear the faint moaning of pain in the distance.

"Oh man! I'm gonna die! Who would throw a suitcase at poor little Beastboy!! I think someone's trying to kill me! Ohhhh the excruciation pain!"

Then a very feminine voice said faintly, "Do not despair, friend Beastboy! My wellness liquid to drink will cure you of your pain! It is a family recipe, a cure to pain made from the stomach froth of a Gerisabic!"

"Actually Star, I'm feeling much better," The male voice said quickly, all traces of excruciating pain vanishing, "Much, much better, it's a miracle!"

"I insist that my friend Beastboy is free of pain!!"

"I tell you I am fine. Pain free in fact. Probably for the rest of my life!" My listening was cut off by the swish of a cloak announcing Ravens arrival.

"Hey Raven!" Cyborg said excitedly waving a mechanical arm at her, "Did you see the new girl! She finally got here!"

"Yes, we've met," She replied without emotion. Her face was still hidden in the folds of her hood, but her eyes shown through the darkness and were studding me closely. She seemed unimpressed. I felt my face flush as she stared at me, feeling embarrassed to be studied disapprovingly of.

Suddenly the doors flew open, jerking her eyes off of me to the door.

"I SAID NO STARFIRE!!" A green blur collided into me and we fell to the floor. But fortunately, I landed on something soft, the very thing that had run into me. I looked down to see I was sitting on a strange little teenager. He had a rich green pigment in his skin, and his forest green hair was spiked, but not out of control like Robins. His eyes were wide as he looked up at me.

"Get off me please! Can't breath!! Too heavy!" he choked out.

"Are you calling me fat?" I asked automatically. He tried to laugh, but no sound came out do to lack of oxygen. It was more of a huffed squeak then anything. I quickly rolled off of him and stood up. I offered him my hand and helped him to his feet.

He smiled stupidly,

"My friends call me Beastboy,... but then again so do my enemies. Everyone does actually! So just call me Beastboy for that's my name! "

"I can think of a couple good names for you," I said smiling, "But I think I'll wait a couple of days before I start insulting you."

Cyborg roared in laughter as Beastboy just stood there, deciding whether to take it as a joke or not. In the end, he laughed a long with the rest of us. All of us as in everyone but Raven, who loomed off to the side. Staring at me again.

"I'm gonna get you back for that!" Beastboy exclaimed, smiling enthusiastically. I smiled back, finally feeling more at ease. Well, as much at ease you can be when there is a little green boy and a robo-man standing next you.

"Beastboy? Where are you located?" A voice wisped through the air like a song. The smile slid off Beastboy's face.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Starfire," Beastboy replied, looking slightly paniced. The doors to the room opened.

"Beastboy? Where are- oh!! Our new friend has arrived!!" I immediately felt all of my oxygen supply cut off as two arms wrapped around me in a death grip hug.

"Hi," I gasped out, my eyes bulging.

"Star!" Beastboy exclaimed, "Please don't kill her yet! We just met her!"

"Oh yes!" she exclaimed and let go of me. I finally got a good look at her. Her deep red hair fell over her skinny orange body. Her eyes glowed green. Her purple boots came up to her matching shirt and shirt. She had some kind of armor in her neck and shoulders. She was bobbling happily in the air, her feet never touching the ground.

"Oh, Glorious! Oh, happiness! I am exuberant! For I finally have a "gal pal" that is not Raven!" She put her face right up to mine, "We can do all of the things that females from this planet engage in that Raven will not do with me." She began ticking off all the things that we are apparently going to do together that Raven apparently will not do with her, "We can apply shiny enamel to our otherwise dull nails. We can view picture movies. We can talk of fashion. We can be what are known as best friends forever!" She paused to see my reaction. I shrugged,

"Sounds like a plan to me." She squealed in delight, causing two green bolts of light to erupt from her hands. They bounced off the tile and came dangerously close to hitting Beastboy. He yelped and jumped into the air, hitting the ground not as a boy, but as a tiny rabbit. He dashed under Cyborg for protection.

"As they say on earth. Opps?" Starfire laughed and hugged me again.

"Let me guess, your one of these aliens I've heard about." She nodded furiously, knocking her head into mine.

"Ow."

"Yeah, Star," Beastboy said coyly as he resumed his human form, "Your new best friend forever is great." He smiled sweetly and sighed a mock sigh, "Too bad I ran into her, I hope I didn't injure her too badly."

"Unacceptable!" Star exclaimed, shoving me out of the very tight embrace and shook her finger "My new friend must not come into this world in pain. She must consume the froth to rid her of any pains."

She rocketed out of the room, and returned holding a big blue mixing bowl. She stopped short in front of me shoved this bowl in my face. In the bowl was this yellowish green foam that smelled like sour milk.

"Um, no, I'm ok, really." I said looking at the foam.

"Please!!" Starfire exclaimed, widening her eyes, as Beastboy was doubled up in silent laughter behind her.

"You really must-" Starfire repeated. Raven glided over between me and Starfire.

"Stop," Raven commanded grimly as she raised a hand up to Starfire.

"Ok," Starfire said in a small voice. I sensed the tension between the two; they obviously didn't like each other too much. Complete opposites.

Raven turned to me,

"Tomorrow, I will assist you with discovering and controlling your powers." With a swish of her cloak, she turned and exited the room silently.

"Raven is what is known as a grump," Starfire whispered reassuringly to me when she was sure Raven was out of the room.

She suddenly got very close to me again, clasping her delicate hands together in front of her.

"Yes, now friend to who shall we address you by?" Starfire asked eagerly.

I looked at them all in turn; brave Robin, strong Cyborg, sweet Starfire, funny Beastboy, and um... absent Raven. I opened my mouth to tell them the name my mother had given me years ago, only to snap it closed in realization.

No, that part of my life is over.

I looked at them in turn, and said the first name that came to my mind, "Naomi. I mean, please, call me Naomi."

"Naomi!! How much fun we'll have!" Starfire clapped her hands happily. Cyborg, Robin and Beastboy were already talking about when I was going to get my uniform.

"Naomi," I said to myself, feeling strange calling myself the name of my old best friend. But…she's not here now, I suppose. Beastboy left the conversation with the guys and stretched out his hand to shake mine.

"Welcome to the team Naomi."

I smiled.

Starryreloaded--Please review!!


	6. morning

I felt the light streaming in through a window before I even opened my eyes. It warmed my cheeks as it washed over my skin. I opened my eyes dreamily, expecting to see my periwinkle blue wall. Wait, white walls?

I sat up in alarm. I looked around, this into my room! Then the memories of yesterday hit me like a sack of wet cement.

"Oh yeah. I remember," I said to myself, I laid back in bed, staring at the ceiling. I was finally beginning to realize this wasn't a dream; it was finally beginning to sink in. I sat up again, and slipped out of my new bed that was much harder then my old one and wove my way around my things, scattered all over my floor next to two empty suitcases.

I need to unpack, I thought to myself, not just throw it around. I smiled; I had never been an organized person. When I was called messy, I would always justify myself by saying,

"No its not. It's just randomly organized."

I laughed, remembering how frustrated I used to make my mom. I felt a twinge of sadness. No, I won't be sad, I will be strong. That's how my mother would want it.

I mused as I kicked some stuffed animals of mine on the floor. Every person I have ever met. Every person I've ever seen on T.V or heard on the radio. Even every persons name whispered in the hall in school. When I left my old life, more than 3 billion people inhabited the Earth. Now imagine them just... gone. It's overwhelming. They're all dead now I suppose. But now, the world is inhabited by their offspring's offspring, I guess.

My thoughts were cut off by a soft knock at my door.

"Its unlocked," I called, regretting my invitation the moment I looked down at the mess on the floor.

The door opened and I was shocked to see Raven fully uniformed. Its like, 7:00 in the morning! Does she like, sleep in it or something?! I smirked as I saw Ravens eyes widen at the sight of my room which had been completely bare the day before.

"Oh god. Did you get in a fight with your suitcase?" she asked.

I laughed, "Yes, and I'm never talking to them again." The corners of her mouth twitched, like she was going to smile, but then thought better of it.

"There has been a slight change of plans," she said, "Your are getting your uniform first, then we train."

"Ok," I said agreeably, "But first let me get breakfast," I shook my finger at her, "Most important meal of the day, you know." She rolled her eyes but agreed to come to the kitchen and eat with me.

As I stepped into the kitchen, I saw the first sight of the morning. Cyborg was pinning Beastboy's arms to the table, who was screaming bloody murder while Starfire tried to shove this chunky pudding textured slime down his throat.

"Beastboy!" She begged, "It's a favorite of my planet it- Oh! Hello friend Naomi!" Then she turned her attention back to Beastboy. "As I was saying, it has the delightful essence of Jell of O!" Robin was sitting at the head of the table, trying to read the morning paper while massaging his temples at the same time.

"Sorry to intrude on this priceless moment," I said smiling, "But I hear we are on a schedule."

Starfire let go of Beastboy who rolled off the table and scampered away as kitten. Starfire glided over to me, still clutching her concoction.

"We will embark on the mission of getting your uniform. But before we depart, try my Glish!" I stared at it.

"Jell-o huh? Could be worse."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you sure you don't want to come?" I asked Raven cautiously.

"With her?" Raven looked up from her book in Starfire's direction, "I think I'd have more fun devouring my own leg."

I frowned. I already knew Starfire could be a handful, and sometimes slightly annoying, but her heart was always in the right place, and overall, that's really what's important.

"Well, if you're sure." She nodded and returned to her book.

"Come on, friend Naomi," Starfire said to me, "Let us leave Raven to her book of sadness and regret. Its will just be you and me, for the boys have no interest in the concept of shopping. So it will just be us 'girlfriends'."

"Sure Star," I replied. I felt a bit nervous. This was my first time out of the tower into this strange new world. I honesty didn't know what to expect. We walked to the main entrance. The huge glass doors slid open sunlight gleamed onto the red carpet. I stepped out into the glaring sun. The waters surrounding the tiny island seemed to magnify the rays, making it hard to see. I tried to take in my surroundings. Craning my head, I looked straight up at our "home". It was maybe thirty stories high, and in the shape of a gigantic T. For Teen Titans I can only assume.

Starfire rose off the ground and started flying away.

"Uh, Star? I can't fly. Remember?"

"Oh, yes! I had forgotten."

"God!" I exclaimed stepping back from the tower. "I'll never get over how big this tower is!"

"Yes it is very wonderful," Star replied, "Now, let us go to Martin."

"Martin?" I asked.

"Yes, he designs costumes for moving picture films, but lately he has been assisting us with our uniforms."

"Really? Did he design yours?"

"No," she smiled, "This is traditional clothing of my planet." I laughed as I imagined an endless field of flowers and more aliens like Starfire prancing around in skirts and boots. I giggled again.

"What amuses you so friend?" asked Starfire.

"Nothing Star, no worries."

"No worries," She repeated absentmindedly.


	7. the fitting

**Authors note:** Well, I must say I was rather shocked to see the..uhem...review left for me from Flames Rising. When I was apart of this site three years ago, to my knowledge, accounts didn't exist for the sole purpose of blind flaming. I was surprised, but I checked the account bio and his C2.

After checking this guy out, I was pleasently impressed, flattered even. I will treasure my review, it cracks me up everytime.

Starry

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hmmmm." Martin mused thoughtfully. I looked directly into the pale blue eyes of the elderly man. He was old and slightly crippled, but that didn't stop him from taking his little tape measure and measuring me from head to toe. I looked around the rest of the shabby store, it looked ancient, the floorboards were dusty and creaked, and it had this real dingy look to it. Martin hobbled around me, looking me from head to toe.

"I thought I saw the last Titan when Robin had dragged that Beastboy to my shop a year ago." He smiled, a smile that made all of his wrinkles shift. He had sort of an innocent face, like the face of a little boy, but very old at the same time. "Oh how you all have grown" he murmured to himself absentmindedly.

I looked around, racks and racks of costumes surrounded me, almost like maze. Starfire had gotten board watching me get measured and was playing with a pair of scissors. She seemed delighted at the soft snipping noise they made.

"Hmmmmmm," Martin repeated. He looked me all over and I started to feel uncomfortable. I shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortably.

"I've got just the thing for you, you little pipsqueak!" He exclaimed very cheerfully.

Little pipsqueak? Oh hell no! I am not a pipsqueak! I'm taller then he is! I frowned indignantly at Martin for belittling me.

He slowly hobbled to a big rack of costumes. Medieval costumes, alien costumes, and every kind of costume you could ever imagine.

"Tell me child," Marvin asked, pawing through the cloths to the best of his ability, "What is your favorite color?"

"Um... blue I guess." I replied still stiff from having to stand still for nearly forty minutes.

"No, that won't look good, blue on blondes never does" He informed me, "Pick again."

"Pink then."

"Dreadful color. No that won't work. Pick again."

"Black then," I said getting a little frustrated and running out of colors.

"No, no, no, that's not a color for a super hero."

"Ok then." I said getting a little irritated, "How about you just pick?"

"Good, because this costume only comes in one color," he said cheerfully.

It's like talking to the utterly insane.

He reached out a skinny as a bone arm and plucked off the rack the outfit that would see me through thick and thin. The outfit the world would know me by. The outfit I would wear through the bad times and the good times.

And as I looked at it for the first time, I was appalled.

I refuse to wear that, was the first thought that crossed my brain. Martin handed it to me, his pale blue eyes bright with pride. I held up the outfit to my body to get rough idea of how stupid I'd look in it.

It was a tight fitting dress that faired slightly at the bottom that reached about mid-thigh. The top was nearly corset shaped, and strapless. It was the purest of white with a sliver belt that was V shaped in the front with a diamond shaped silver stud in the middle. Attached to the back of the belt was a short white halve cape that stopped at the back of my knees.

I looked a little doubtful.

I glanced to Starfire's for a little feed back on this outfit. She was grinning from ear-to-ear, obviously pleased with my uniform.

"Try it on!" She giggled, shoving me into a shabby changing stall in the corner. I emerged form the changing stall a few minutes later completely transformed. I walked to the dingy, cracked full lengthen mirror next to the stall. I looked up and down at my reflection. I look like I'm off to a wedding, I thought despairingly.

"Oh! Oh! Wait!" Star said excitedly. She handed me a pair of white gloves she had found god knows where. I pulled them on a little doubtfull at first, but when I looked at my reflection I had to admit, they really pulled the crazy outfit together. They went about 5 or six inches above my elbow. I stretched out my fingers, to adjust to the new feeling of the gloves.

"Hmmmm," I said thoughtfully, growing more pleased with my uniform although I realized there was no way I could keep something this white stay clean.

"Naomi! Catch!" Starfire called across the room.

"Wha-?" I didn't catch.

"Starfire? Why did you throw a boot at me?" I asked rubbing my arm where the boot had hit. See? The boot already scuffed the spotless white glove. White is an awful color.

"Try them on!!" Martin squealed. Whoa! I had almost forgotten he was here! Star chucked the other boot at me, but this time I ducked.

That girl is trying to kill me, I thought as I pulled on my boots, which were white like he rest of my outfit. They were a little below my knees. When I looked back in the mirror, I expected to see the worst, but when I looked at my reflection, I was surprised. I looked ok, maybe even better than ok.

"Wow!" I exclaimed, impressed with my outfit. Starfire laughed clapped as I started striking poses for her. Starfire was bobbling up and down in the air with glee. Starfire is either really really happy, or really really bummed... or confused... or something.

"Come!!" She said happily, "We shop for daily life supplies now!" She grabbed my hand and she giggled giddily and stuffed my old cloths in a bag she found (once again) god knows where, and started pulling me out the door, which I didn't object too, this place gave me the creeps.

Oh wait! I have to go outside wearing this crazy getup? I started to wish that I could just wear normal cloths. Won't people stare?

"Just make charge to the Titan's bill," Starfire called over her shoulder as we stepped out of the doorway.

"You can do that?" I asked, impressed.

"Yes," She replied smiling, "all the Titans can."

"Good bye!" Martins called to us. "Have fun girls!" What a weird old man, I though as I stepped out into the bright sun. I had to marvel at the city. The tall buildings and the constant hussle and bussle of people were just one of the thrills of city life. And I couldn't wait to learn of the others!

"I've never been in a city before!" I said exclaimed as I craned my neck to try to see every aspect of my new surroundings. Buildings towered over me, with sparkling windows gleamed over head.

"Oh, yes, Gothem is a truly wonderful place to inhabit." Starfire said smiling at my awe. "Actually," she said suddenly, "Gothem is a city from your time, it was renamed about 50 years ago, before then, it was known as New York City."

"No way! New York City?!" I exclaimed a little louder then I meant too, I blushed and dropped my voice as we began walking down the sidewalk as cars horns blared their way past us as traffic was jammed, "I mean, New York City?! No way!"

"Yes, most of the major cities have renamed."

"Wow!" I still couldn't believe that I was actually standing in the futuristic New York City. I think Starfire really liked that I, like her, I was new to this world. I think she sometimes gets upset that people mistake her confusion for stupidity.

I guess I could see how that could be annoying, but trust me, Star is anything but stupid. Just this morning she was telling me about her Relativity to Velocity through Seismic Matter theory this morning. She might be a bit giddy, excitable, but I am quickly very aware that she's not stupid.

"So Star," said cheerfully, trying out her nickname I heard Robin call her, "Which way to the shops?" I was starting to like Starfire more and more. She just kind of grows on you the more you understand her.

"This way," she replied pointing importantly, and started walking down a strip of shops. I followed her, assuming she knew what she was doing. I walked down the busy streets of Gothem with Starfire with out a care in the world, until I started noticing people staring at us and pointing. As I walked, I heard snippets of what the gawking people were saying.

"Oh my god!! Look, Jamie!! Its Starfire!!!" said one.

"Should I like try to talk to her or some thing?!?" said another.

"Wait, whose she with?"

"Is it a friend of hers?"

"No fair! Did she win the Meet The Titans Contest? I'm totally jealous!"

"Is she a new titan?"

"Look how lost she looks, I bet she's an alien."

"Her sister?"

"You go ask her."

"No, you go ask her."

No, you ask!!"

Starfire continued walking, unaffected by all the admiring looks and attention. I guess she's used to it by now. I'm not though. I skipped a step to walk closer to her, looking around nervously.

"We have reached our destination!" Star said stopping suddenly, causing me to bump into her. I looked up at an enormous building with a sign that read-

"The Feather!" Starfire said approvingly. She turned to me, "The Feather was once a clothing line, but they have expanded to sell all sorts of objects that female adolescent wish to acquire!" She opened stepped on the platform that made the glass doors open slowly to reveal a store that made all other stores I had ever seen look like a joke.

It was more of a mall then a store, only not separate stores. Actually more like departments. The lights above on the high ceiling set a warm glow to the store. There was a main walkway made out of smooth gold colored tile, where you branched off into different sections of the store, there was soft pink carpet. I looked to the left to see rows and rows of aisles marked with a signs organizing the products. Girls clustered in packs, moving from shelf to shelf, squealing and giggling about this and that. Starfire and I walked down the main walkway looking at all the categories.

I said them allowed as I read them,

"Cosmetics, feminine care, perfumes, skin care, facial care, hair care, foot care... foot care? Wow a whole aisle devoted to feet." And that wasn't even a few of them! I turned my head and looked to the right, on, the other side of the store, there were racks of cloths. There were huge hanging signs organizing them.

Formal dress, party dress, casual, spring clothing line, winter clothing line, formal shoes, casual shoes, and on and on! I looked around and saw at the end of the main walkway was an escalator leading to a halve level with a balcony.

I craned to see what was over the balcony. It was an entire food court for the store. I saw girls sitting at tables drinking smoothies with their best friends. I saw a girl and a guy on a date in a cute little coffee shop. A bagel place, a pizza joint, a fancy little French restaurant for people who could afford it after their spending sprees. I looked over at Starfire.

"Wow!" I whispered.

I looked over at Starfire and laughed. She had gotten the cappuccino milk froth all over her face.

"Uh, Star? You've got a little…" I gestured to where the froth was.

"Oh!" she exclaimed and wiped it off with a napkin. "These drinks made from the liquid of a coffee bean are difficult to drink," she explained.

"You just gotta know how to drink them," I said smiling, "try to drink it with out letting it touch your teeth. Coffee stains".

She looked alarmed at this news. She tried to drink it again, but just got the froth all over her face again. I sighed happily and looked over the side of the balcony at the shoppers below. My halve cape tickled the sides of my legs. I brought my hot drink to my lips and took a long drink.

I looked beside the table at my numerous shopping bags, filled to the brim with everything I could ever want. Halve of it I actually didn't want, but Starfire just kept pilling random things into our cart. For a moment I was worried about the cost, but all we had to do was say,

"Charge to the Titan bill." It was shocking how much this city worshiped the Titans! Two guys actually got into a fight over who would serve us our drinks! It's really crazy!

"You know, friend Naomi, this is the most enjoyable morning of my time here on earth." Said Starfire looking across the tiny table to me, "Raven never wishes to do these things with me."

Her smile slid off her face and she stared into her coffee cup with a pained expression on her face. I felt bad for her I scooted my chair next to her and put my arm around her.

"Don't worry about it Starfire. Raven doesn't know what she missed out on." I said trying to make her feel better. I was actually really looking forward to my training with Raven later. I was curious to see what my powers could do. I let go of Starfire and leaned back in my chair to see the clock on the balcony below. The time was 11:57.

"Hey Starfire," I said, "let's grab some lunch while were here, we can eat it on the way back to the tower." Where ever that was. I was so lost. Thank god I had someone who knew where she was going…most of the time.

"Oh, ok." Star said a little sadly, sorry that our morning was almost over.

I smiled at her and said, "Come on Starfire, well come back here a lot, I promise!"

"Ok," She replied a slow smile spreading on her face. She stood up, and picked up our heavy shopping bags, and we linked arms and headed towards the Pizza Palace.


	8. drenched

"Tell me what you feel, when you feel," Raven said in her, what I now know is her usual, emotionless voice as she stared at me from the opposite side of my bed.

"Uh..." I really didn't know what she was talking about.

"All of our powers are based on emotion," Raven explained as she crossed her legs, "Mine most of all, but we first have to get to the bases of our powers to fully understand them before we decide to release them."

Oh, I understand now, I guess.

At first, we were going to practice on the roof, but there had been a complication, Beastboy had decided to take a swim on the rooftop pool during our session. They don't have much of a back yard, it being mostly rock down on the island, so the outside hangout is on the roof I assume. Especially during the summer.

"Ok," Raven had said when we had been sitting on the roof. "I'm going to enter you mind to find-"

SPLASH!

"Wohh!! Did you guys see that?!? Did you? I totally cannonballed!!"

"Ignore him" Raven said through gritted teeth. But Beastboy decided he didn't want to be ignored, so he climbed out of the pool and walked over to us. He was soaking wet and dripping all over as he leaned over us curiously.

"What are you guys doin'?" Beastboy asked cheerfully as a huge drop of water rolled off his hair and splashed on my face.

"We are TRYING to uncover her powers," Raven said, with a bit of an edge to her voice as I wiped my cheek of pool water.

"Oh fun!! I wanna play too!!" Beastboy said taking a seat next to me and began to pretend to meditate.

"No," Raven said getting annoyed.

"Awww. Please Raven? I'll be good, I promise!" He turned and grinned at me. I giggled. What a dork.

"See? Naooooomi wants me to stay!"

"No, she doesn't."

"Yes, she does!"

"No, she doesn't."

He continued arguing with Raven, occasionally glancing over to me to see if I was still watching. I wonder if Raven will knock him off the roof, I though hopefully as I watched them argue.

"Beastboy! Leave... now. And change back into your normal cloths, you are dripping on us.

He pretended to look shocked, "But, I look so very sexy in my bathing suit!" He stood up and started to flex for us. It was just too funny.

"I think I have witnessed the sexist thing ever," I whispered to Raven like it was a secret and that I thought Beastboy couldn't hear.

He smiled, "You wanna feel my muscles?"

"Oh yes!" I exclaimed with mock enthusiasm. I started squeezing Beastboy's, and I sorry but, skinny upper arm. But I pretended like I was having the time of my life.

"Ohhhh, Beastboy! Your sooooo strong!" I exclaimed. "Are those rocks under your skin? Nay, boulders, nay, mountains!!!" We both started cracking up and Raven just sat their rolling her eyes.

She sighed and grabbed my arm, "Come one Naomi, well practice in your room, we won't get anything done with him around.

"Wait Naomi! Stay and tell me how strong I am!!" Beastboy called over to me waving furiously. Raven was practically dragging me across the roof so I never got to make a smart replied. So that's how we got to sitting in my room.

"Now, I'm going to enter your mind," Raven explained.

"Oh ok. But don't be expecting too much," I said before I realized what exactly I had just said. She placed one hand on my forehead, and her other hand on her forehead.

"Is this going to hurt?" I asked suddenly nervous.

"No, you won't even feel it, now just relax." It was a lot less impressive than I thought it would be. The second Raven had chanted,

"Aserath Metrion Zinthos!" a blinding flash crossed my open eyes, and then... that was it. Raven removed her hand and though quietly for a moment then she said,

"We already have a good idea what your powers are, but we need to do a little… experimenting first."

"Wait," I said remembering back to what Robin had said to me when we first met, about the "sources".

"How do you guys know so much about me, when I've never met you before?" I asked, almost accusingly.

Raven sighed, "Naomi, listen, you are going to just have to trust us, ok? We don't think its time for you to... know something's yet. It could be pretty damaging to you emotionally. Ok?"

"What things?" I demanded, "What are you hiding from me?"

"I'll tell you later, but first let's get to your powers." She said, hoping to change the subject.

"Ok," I said hesitantly.

"I picked up a memory from inside your mind," Raven said, "Please, tell me about the fire."

"Oh that?" 

---------------------------------

I felt the incredible heat surround me. I couldn't breath, the heat was suffocating me. I couldn't see, I blindly stumbled around my room, looking for any cool and clean, anything to escape from this fiery hell. The smoke worked its way up into my nose and lungs. My eyes started to tear, but the heat caused the tears to evaporate the second they left my eyes. Then I felt the white hot flame slowly start to lick its way up my bare legs. 

------------------------------

"Naomi?" Ravens voice snapped me back to reality.

"Oh, yeah... a fire." I cleared my throat. "When I was... ten I think."

"What were the circumstances?"

I squinted my eyes, trying my hardest to remember that day. I actually haven't thought about it for years.

"Well…That day I found out my parents wanted to get divorced. I remember I was playing with my sister. I was hiding in my parent's closet, waiting for her to find me. All I heard was them yelling in hushed whispers at each other. Then my mother told my father she wanted…out. Out of the marriage. I didn't even realize until then they didn't love each other, and hadn't for a long time. They didn't know I was there or heard what they had said. When they left the room I crawled out of the closet. I…ran to my room. I was so upset I locked myself up in my room."

I took a breath, not wanting to have to go over the fire issue. It wasn't my favorite memory. But Ravens imploring eyes urged me on.

"There's not that much to it. There was just a house fire."

"The fire started in your room?"

"No one knows that for sure" I said suddenly defensive, "My parents thought I was… troubled..I guess. They thought I started the fire! I had to go to counseling and everything!" I huffed indignantly. Then a thought stuck me, "Raven….I didn't start the fire….I don't think…."

"How did you feel, your emotions before the fire" Raven interrupted curtly, staring me down.

"I guess, I was just mad" I murmured lamely, still wondering if it was my fault.

"Anger." Raven repeated thoughtfully, "How did you escape?" I squinted, my eyes trying to remember,

"Well, I remember my parent's voices' screaming just outside the door, but the door was locked so they couldn't come in, and just as the fire started burning my legs. I threw my weight against the window... I fell out I guess."

I began to realize how stupid this must have sounded, but Raven was nodding thoughtfully, as if she already knew what I was going to say.

"How far was the fall?"

"Three stories"

"You weren't injured?"

"No"

"Here," She said, taking out a match from a pocket within her cloak. It seemed as if she knew what my powers were ahead of time, but how? From reading my mind? Or was it from…another….source?

"Now tell me," she said, "What makes you angry?" I thought for a minute.

"Not much"

"Just try"

"Ok, ok"

"Ok, good, now look at this match and remember all the things she's done to make you angry."

"Mmmmkay." I looked at the match; at first my mind was blank. The dull match stood between Ravens fingers. I stared at it will all my might, but nothing happened.

I broke my gaze and looked at Raven, disgruntled. She whispered for me to focus.

I once again stared at that tiny little match. Once again, nothing happened.

Maybe they got the wrong girl? The thought rippled through my mind, stirring my concentration. Maybe all of this was for nothing? Maybe I'm not special after all! I felt my face grow hot with frustration as I stared even harder at the little stick. I can't go home now I don't think. I'll be stuck here, homeless! All because this stupid fucking match won't-

A slight pop and smell of burning igniter filled my senses. I looked in awe as the tiny match in Ravens hand began to burn down to her fingertips.

Raven calmly blew out the tiny flame.

"Good. We can associate your anger with fire, now." She declared pragmatically.

I sat in wonder as Raven flicked away the stub of wood. Did I really do that?

Raven leaned closer to me, and looked straight into my eyes,

"I'm going to ask you to recall another memory that might be hard for you, but I need you to remember your most horrifying memory."

------------------

My lungs burned, my arms flailed. The thick cold water surrounded me on all sides. I didn't know what way was up, or down. I stretched my fingers out to the full of there extent, desperate for the break of water.

I felt the strong current hold me captive under the water, no mater how I struggled it refused to let my go. The sharp rocks at the bottom of the river were cutting and tearing at my delicate skin. I kicked down on the rocks with all my might, ignoring the snap and sharp pain of the rock breaking my leg. The kick propelled me upwards. My head broke the surface for a split second, only to be dragged back down by the current before I could grab a breath. I opened my eyes under the water, trying to see through the murky water. I felt my mind shutting down. My thoughts became slow, and my actions delayed. Black dots started blurring my vision until my eye lids drifted shut.

I'm going to die, I thought sadly as my body became limp and docile to the currents that threw me in all directions. My mind seemed to drift away with the river until my body crashed into something hard, jerking my mind awake in a last attempt of survival. My arms immediate clung for the only thing solid. I used the last bit of strength I had to pull myself out of the water. As my head broke the surface, my stale breath exploded out of me, as I sucked in a breath as sweet as my first.

I blindly scrambled onto the thing that had saved my life, ignoring the smearing pain that spread throughout my leg. I inhaled and exhaled so fast I was crying. Never before had I been so scared. As my vision returned to normal, I saw what had saved my life, a tree was lying an inch or so above the water, the trunk lying the full length of the river. I pulled my self across the trunk and fell into the muddy bank, and I rested my head on the ground.

--------------------------------

I blinked my eyes, trying to get out of that painful memory. I didn't want Raven to know how much that scared me; I tried to seem cool about it. 

"My scariest memory?"

Raven nodded, I think could sense I was stalling for time. I racked my memory for any other memory, but I came up dry. I decided to bite the bullet.

"When I was really little, like five, my father took me fishing. I didn't like fishing; I thought it was mean to the fish. So I played by the river instead. I guess I wondered off, wading into deeper and deeper waters. A strong current sucked me in. That scared me I guess. Probably the most I've ever been. Before I drowned though, there was this tree that had fallen over the river... it saved my life. And even to this day-"

I snapped my mouth closed. I had almost revealed a secret of mine. I had almost told Raven about my phobia, my phobia of water. Since that day, I have never swam in a pool, or gone rafting or even taken a bath. I only will take showers. It's so stupid, I mean its just water, and I always get a little panicked around it. It's silly I suppose.

"So, yeah, that's about it," I quickly, hoping Raven wouldn't inquiry me any farther. Then another memory hit me.

"Oh! Oh! Raven! I just remembered! Do you remember the day we first met?!"

"Yes," she replied narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Good, because no amount of therapy will ever make me forget, anyway. I just remembered now. When I was wondering around the halls, I was….really scared, I remember, the hall flooded out of no where! I was scared that time too, and it was water again!" I felt proud of my self for figuring it out on my own, even though I really didn't even realize what it was I had just figured out.

"Ok," Raven seemed somewhat pleased with my progress, "Now I need to remember the river memory again. Remember every detail, feel every detail. Relive it."

Do I really have too? I glanced at Raven, who again narrowed her eyes. I didn't want to seem difficult.

I shut my eyes and this time, instead of trying to get a reaction, like I had first tried with the match, I focused all of my mind on the memory. I remembered the pain,... water,... the fear.

"Naomi? Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes to see... nothing. I looked to Raven who gestured over this side of my bed.

"Oh!" I exclaimed in amazement. There was more then an inch of water completely covering my floor.

"My stuff!" I cried in realization.

"I bet you wish you had put it away when you were supposed too, not just scattered it all over your floor," Raven said with a small smirk as she rung out a corner of her cape that had been hanging over the side of the bed.

"Oh, shut up. Now how do I dry things off?" I looked expectantly at Raven.

"How do you think?" She replied shortly, looking indigent at being told to shut up. 

I hunched over the side of my bed staring at the water, trying to make it leave. How long we sat there, who knows? But things were still wet some time later. All of a sudden I heard a splash and the water ripped. I looked over to Raven who was amusing herself by using her telekinetic powers to knock my stuff into the water. 

"Give me just one hint."

"You are not even doing it right."

"Then how do I do it?" I begged frustrated.

"If fear made the water, what should we do to make it leave?" she asked sarcastically as if she was talking to a preschooler.

All of a sudden my door swung open.

"Dudes! What's up?" Beastboy asked happily, obviously with no regard to other peoples space. Then he looked down the see the water escaping through the open door.

"Hey, Naomi?" he asked pointing at the ground, "Do you know that your room is wet?"

"No! Really?!" I asked. I looked over the edge of my bed is if I had just noticed, but the smile on my face gave me away.

"Wow! Naomi has water powers?" Beastboy splashed his toe in the soaked carpet.

"Not only that, but fire powers as well," Raven replied, getting carefully to her feet on my bed "And that not all of them."

"Really?!?" I said starting to lose my head in the excitement, "Lets find out the rest!" But Raven shook her head.

"No, we will a little later, but for now just practice with what you have. Just... try not to kill anyone okay?"

"Ok, I'll try my hardest," I obviously glancing in Beastboy's direction, "But that's no guarantee."

"Hey!! She's, like, threatening me! Well it's not going down like that!" 

Raven stepped off my bed, her foot splashing in the water as she made her way to my door.

"Um…you still didn't give me a hint. On how to make the water go away…." I said carefully, not wanting to make her mad.

She fully opened the door, letting the rest of the water run free into the hall.

"Easy. Fear created it. Banish your fear" With that she shut the door, leaving me and Beastboy in my room. We looked to each other, frowning slightly.

"I'll….go get you some towels." 


	9. soggy carpets and the investigation room

Beastboy and I crawled around on our hands and knees soaking up as much water as we could. I had the brilliant idea of trying to evaporate the water with fire, but all I managed to do was set my curtains on fire. I startled myself to the point of flooded my room again. We had to start all over.

Finally, after hours of working, Beastboy and I sat back to back on my soggy carpet, completely exhausted.

"I think we got the worst of it"

"Yeah, thanks a lot"

"No problemo"

I stared at my singed curtain, wondering if they were beyond repair. I sighed, hoping that maybe the rest of my powers aren't quite as…messy.

"Naomi?" Starfire's voice floated from across the hall.

I rolled off of Beastboy's back and crawled to the door and stuck my head out,

"Yeah? Star?"

She glided over to my door,

"Friend Naomi, Robin requests a…"She stared at my room, "Friend Naomi? You made a big mess."

"I know," I groaned, looking at the state of my room. Hardly a room really. Everything was too…white, and sterile. If I am going to be living her, I want to at least redecorate.

Starfire glided over Beastboy's head and touched the smoldering curtains with interest. The blackened cloth crumbled between her fingers as she stared at it curiously before she seemed to remember something.

"Oh yes. Naomi? Robin requests a word with you." She wiped her sooty fingers on her skirt, leaving a slight black streak on the purple cloth, but I don't think she noticed.

"Alright. Where is he?"

"In the I.R."

"The where?"

"Oh, my apologies. It is the Room for Investigations. It is located the fifth level 3rd door to the left right next to the laboratory of science."

"What?" I asked weakly, "Too many rooms!"

Beastboy sighted, and stood up and stretched, "Yeah that's how I felt too at first. Here, I'll come with."

As we exited my room, Starfire called after me if she could have my singed curtains.

Beastboy and I walked down the hall, and stepped into the elevator. An elevator, you might imagine would be at the end of a hall. Not this one. The elevator was the core of the building, running to every floor with rooms on either side. It seemed, oddly misplaced. Right smack dab in the middle of everything. As I stepped in, Beastboy punched the level 5 button and stepped back from the door.

"Going up!" he said cheerfully. The elevator lurched upward. I looked out the side of the elevator that was made of glass so you could see each floor whizzing past. You never realize how fast elevators go until you can actually see each floor flash past.

"Wow," I murmured.

"Yeah, cool huh? I got sick the first time I rode this thing! Ha!"

I didn't respond, hypnotized by the floors flashing by. He must have felt a little awkward and started bouncing on the heels of his feet glancing upward to see what floor we were on. On the final lurch of the elevator, the doors opened, and brought us to our final destination. Beastboy must have thought that there had been to much awkward silence between us, because then he licked the back of his hand and wiped it on the side of my face.

"Beastboy!!" I screeched. He must have known he was in troubled because he tore out of the elevator, laughing like crazy. I gave into the chase and talked him. I sat on him, not letting him breath. He gasped out, and desperately reached up and yanked on a section of my hair.

"Ding-dong!" he gasped out, barely coherently. I laughed and looked up to the strong metal door above us. It had black lettering on it that read I.R.

"I guess where here." I said looking up at the door, completely forgetting that Beastboy couldn't breath. He finally managed to get a hand free and pushed me off of him. He jumped to his feet, clutching his stomach. Then he seemed to recover and started banging his fists on the door with all his might.

"Robin!! It's me!! Beastboy!!" he yelled, showing off, "Open the door!!"

Robin opened the door looking surprised.

"Beastboy? Why are you yelling?"

"Because she's here and I brought her," He said simply. "I was such a good boy."

Robin rolled his eyes. He looked totally different than yesterday in normal cloths, now he was dressed in his uniform; it was mostly red and black, with green gloves. He also sported a utility belt around his waist. I wavered slightly in his presence. I was intimidated.

"Seriously, we need to talk. Alone" He added to Beastboy.

"Ohhhhh, all aloooone!" Beastboy sand mostly to himself as he walked off swaying his hips back and forth all the way to the elevator.

Of course I couldn't see his eyes, but I was sure Robin was rolling his eyes, then he turned to me, "So, let's talk"

"Just try not to be boring!" I said cheerfully.

He led me into the I.R. I looked around. The room was dimly lit, but bright enough for me to see the hundreds of wanted posters and newspaper clippings covering every inch of the wall. Filing cabinets were overflowing with documents and other sorts of papers. It had merely one lonely desk in the middle of the room, scattered newspapers covered the surface.

"Wow!" I looked over to the table, my eyes scanning many faces looming up at me from the papers, most looking quite sinister. Then I saw a yellow folder, smack dab in the middle of the table. I did a double take as I realized it had in bold black writing my name on it. My real name.

"Hey! That's me!"

I reached out to grasp it, but Robin knocked my hand out of the way. I drew my hand back to my chest; feeling slightly put out that he had hit my hand.

"Don't," he said sternly.

"Why?" I asked my hand still stinging.

"Just don't." He turned and put the folder in a filing cabinet in the corner of the room. He took out a small silver key and turned the lock on the front of the cabinet. As soon as he seemed secure in the fact that the file was safe and secure he turned and looked to me.

"Once you have learned more about your powers," he said trying to get my attention away from the folder, "You will start training with us, and then when you are ready, you will be able to come with us and fight."

I smiled, but I could still see that yellow folder in the back of my mind.

"And more importantly," Robin said raising his voice to grab my attention, "Naomi, there is something very important you need to understand before you can even consider joining this team." He spoke so seriously, I was a bit taken back.

"Sure what is it?" I asked, feeling slightly like I was under attack.

"You see, we are the protectors of this city," he began, crossing his arms and leaning against the desk, a few papers fluttered to the floor.

"The citizens love us, and the children idolize us. We are heroes. So it is very important to keep up a good image. You see, the peoples taxes is what pays us to live here, they pay for us to keep the peace in the city. Without it, we would be living on the streets, or not at all. So we do things for the city, not just take down criminals, but charity work, interviews news appearances, so on and so forth."

I nodded.

"We have to work overtime, just to keep up the excitement of the Titans. And when we go out on public, we can not do anything to harm our image. The media loves to play anything we do up." He put his face an inch away from mine.

"Because the only thing people love more than a hero, is a fallen one."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robin's words rang in my head as I exited the I.R. and crashed into Beastboy who had his ear up to the door, eavesdropping. He tried to chat me up, but I was lost in thought.

I was starting to understand the full extent of my obligations. It was more then "getting the bad guys". If we lost, we could lose more than a fight. This is why we have ridiculous costumes and funny names. It was publicity. It was to keep our popularity going. Our support. Without it... we had nothing.

"Friend Naomi?" Star's voice jerked me out of my thoughts, I hadn't even realized she was right in front of me. "I have been searching for you."

"Oh, what is it?"

"I do believe it is time for our nutritional intake period. Also known as time for supper."

"Um, Star?" Beastboy said looking at his watch, "It's only 3:00."

"Oh! Is that the incorrect time for a nutrition intake?"

"Hey!" Beastboy exclaimed looking from Starfire to me, "It may be the incorrect time for supper, but it is always time for snake time!"

"Oh good! I'm starving!"

"Always time for snack time" Starfire mused absentmindedly as we piled into the elevator, "Is this a rule?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I pawed through the walk in pantry as Beastboy tore through the fridge. Starfire sat contently on the counter watching Beastboy dismantle the fridge looking for a snack.

I was a little shocked to see my new friend's faces on almost every food box in the pantry. Titan cereal? Teen Titan Fruit Snacks? Star bolt shaped crackers and green Beastboy pudding? With three proofs of purchase, send away for a Robin face mask look a like?

"Yeah, the companies send us those once in awhile," Beastboy spoke suddenly from behind me munching on potato chips, "And by once in a while, I mean boxes everyday"

I grabbed a Titan fruit snack packet. I opened the packet and inspected the tiny little gelatin globs in the palm of my hand. Green Beastboy's, purple Ravens, red Robins, silver Cyborgs and orange Starfires.

And soon, I thought as I popped two Ravens and a Starfire in my mouth and chewed absentmindedly, little blue Naomis.

I smiled as I sat on the content, amusing myself by biting off a Starfire fruit chews head and putting it on a headless Beastboy's body. I smiled as I happily listening to Starfire and Beastboy argue about whose turn it was to do the dishes. I had the sneaking suspicion it was Beastboy's and he was just denying it. I was about to bite off a little Ravens head and put it on Robins body when I remembered how I had promised Raven that I would practice my powers.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Raven walked into to the living room, obviously surprised that wasn't the constant racket of a video game marathon raging. But when she saw what was happening instead, she looked like she wanted to move.

I was entertaining Cyborg and Beastboy by throwing marshmallows into the air, thinking angry thoughts and sending little fireballs directly up at the falling marshmallows, cooking them to a crisp by the time they hit the floor. I wasn't very good yet, and sometimes the fireball missed the marshmallows. Thankfully, most of them withered out before they caught anything on fire. Most of the time.

"How do you like your marshmallows, Cyborg?" I asked grinning.

"Burned!" I think he just liked watching things burned, more then marshmallow preference.

It was burned before it hit my open stretched hand I handed Cyborgs his crispy marshmallow. I pretended to just noticed Raven lurking in the corner.

Beastboy must have noticed too because then he called, "Hey Raven!! How do you like your marshmallows?"

"As far away from me as possible." She replied coolly.

"Hey Naomi!" Beastboy said with a smirk, "Those marshmallows made me really thirsty!" He opened his mouth and pointed.

"Naomi don't!! That can't be sanitary-" Raven said quickly, but it was too late. I directed a blast of water that materialized from no where and it hit Beastboy right in the face and knocked him head over heels off the sofa and landed with a thud on the floor.

"Oh! I guess I have to work on that!" I said helping Beastboy get his feet back over his head and untangle his arm from behind his head.

"Its ok," he said still in a daze as he struggled to his feet, "I do like to get around to a bath every month or two."

"I wouldn't doubt it." I said rolling my eyes.

"That's not exactly what I meant by practice," Raven said from the doorway. I couldn't tell if she was annoyed or not. It's kinda hard to tell with her.

I turned to the guys who were now concerned if any water had gotten on their game station, "See you guys later, I'm off to learn of more ways to put your lives in jeopardy." They didn't even respond as they inspected every inch of their little toy.

I shrugged as I followed Raven out of the room. We stepped into the elevator, and she pressed the level 3 button.

"We are going to practice in the gym." She said simply, "I set it up for us"

As I stepped out of the elevator the first thing I notice is the room smelled like sweat, I wrinkled my nose and looked around. The gym wasn't just ON the third level. The gym WAS the third level. I looked around. The entire floor was completely covered with thick red and yellow exercise mats. There was a rack of dumbbells, in small, medium, and large. There was a kicking bag and numerous exercised machines. Mirrors were set up, making all four walls, making the room seem to go on forever.

Raven started heading to the left corner of the room, where there was a spot cleared of equipment.

"So," She said very professionally, "We now know that your anger can create fire. Your fear can create water. And with practice, you will probably learn to expel them, which won't be easy. Emotions are the hardest thing in the world to control."

I bobbled my head up and down in agreement. For such a monotone girl, she seemed very into emotions, although she showed none herself. What a paradox, I mused.

"You know a lot about this emotional stuff." I declared, vocalizing my observations.

"That is why I was chosen to teach you," she replied, all too quick to change the subject, "Now Naomi, remember back to the river?"

I shuddered in reply.

"You recall being saved by a tree, correct?"

"Yes."

"Now, from what you can remember, was that tree lying over the river before you fell in or after?"

"What do you mean?"

"To the best of your knowledge, did you ever see a tree spanning across the river."

I scanned my memories, trying to remember.

"I don't think so. But it was a long time ago"

"Where was the river? The mountains? A campsite? Where?"

"The mountains, I lived on the foothills. My family and I took trips up in the mountains all the time." I tried to foresee where she was going, but Raven had me stumped.

"Remember back to the river, before you fell in. Were there many trees around?"

"No….they had all been cleared away for the roads…There….were no trees…at all" I felt a click in my mind, starting to understand. Maybe, just maybe….I did it.

Raven let me spin the gears in my brain before she spoke again,

"You know what to do."

I nodded, shutting my eyes. I recalled my memory. I felt the fear again, and as I did, I felt a cold wetness creep on my bare legs and soak into my boots. I was recalling the fear. That's not right. Raven remained silent, so I squeezed my eyes closed even and tried to remember exactly what it was I felt before I was saved, ignoring the rising water level in the room, even though it was making me nervous.

The last coherent thought I can remember was thinking… I'm going to die….

Sadness.

I couldn't recall the sadness I had felt before the tree saved me, so I tried another sad thought.

My family. They were all dead right now. So is Naomi. Every face I had ever seen before I crossed the bridge were six feet in the ground. Gone and decayed. Everyone.

I felt the sadness wash over me, and for a second, I forgot what I was doing and just remembered back to my old life.

Everything had been so simple for me when I was little. The world consisted of my Dad taking me to the park. The smell of my mother perfume as she read me a bedtime story. My sisters and I watching cartoons Saturday morning with a big bowl of sugary cereal.

But then, I reached my teen years, and then I took for granted everything my family had given me. I started wanting make-up instead of bedtime stories. I wanted to go to the mall with Naomi, instead of the park with my dad. I would rather watch reality T.V. with all too skinny women instead of silly cartoons. And now, I just wish I had appreciated my family when I had had the chance. But that was a chance I would never have again.

I felt a painful lump form in my throat.

But I felt a strange tickle between my fingers. My eyes opened and I glanced down to my left hand and saw a tiny green vine woven in-between my forefinger and thumb. I egged on the sad thoughts and saw my vine grow. It wove in and out of my fingers and creped up my arm. Then it twisted around my neck as if it was some sort of bizarre necklace. I gasped and looked up at Raven in amazement.

"Are you going to be ok?" asked Raven, looking more to the expression on my face then the vine.

"Oh yeah sure!" I said in a voice that sounded unreal to me. I blinked my eyes forcefully trying to make the tears stay in my eyes, I didn't realize how close I was to crying.

Again I tried to banish the vine, but I couldn't. I guess I don't have that sort of control of my emotions yet. I yanked the vine off, which was harder then I expected. I eventually just bite through the vegetation, making a face as I tasted the sour taste of the plant.

"Do you see any…connection?" Raven asked, as I struggled my way free from the vine and let it fall limply to the floor.

"Yeah...I think I do" I said staring at the twisted form of the vine I had created, "Fire, water, now plants…. it's just my emotions taking shape. The shape of the four elements! Earth, Water, Fire...and I guess, next is Air."

"You know," Raven replied, standing up and wringing out her drenched cape, "Our powers aren't too different."

I felt a little closer to Raven, well, as earthly possible.

"That is why I hope you will trust me in our next activity." She added ominously.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you sure about this?" I asked Raven nervously peering over the side of the tower. Once again, we were on the roof but the day was dawning to dust. The suns rays desperately peaked over the horizon, as if tying to keep the ever impending night away night away.

"I am positive, You control elements. The last being air. You can control air pressure, lowering it or making it higher it, causing flight."

I didn't even bother re-wondering how she knew all of this, or why she didn't just tell me how to do the last three elements. I was way occupied with not wanting to jump off a thirty story building onto rocky terrain.

I backed away from the edge, my shadow stretching far behind me as the sun was forced even father down past the horizon.

"Jump." Raven said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world, "Trust yourself. You know what to do."

"No. I actually don't. I don't know what to do! This whole time I have been guessing and checking! If I jump, I can't ask for a redo! I'll be dead!" I was getting a bit worked up, backing even farther away from the edge, not wanting to look down.

"Naomi, listen. I will telekinetically catch you if something goes wrong. You just have to trust me. If you can't trust me now, you're out of a job. I won't allow anyone on the team that can't trust myself or the others"

Again, I faced the dilemma of homelessness. I took a deep breath and took three very powerful looking strides to the edge, trying to concise myself not to be afraid.

Ok, oook, I thought to myself, I just have to jump. Not even a big deal! Except for the water down there. I hate water. This is not a good place to jump. I'll find a nice rock to jump off of. Start off small. Then get bigger. Then I can jump off chairs and stuff.

I think Raven got tired of waiting for me to jump, so she just pushed me. She has a short fuse that one.

I felt the wind roar in my ears and the wind sting my eyes. My body toppled like a rag doll in the air, and my eyes could barley make out windows rushing past me, my ear grazing the cement of the tower. As my eyes darted to the ground, I had the strangest illusion that the ground was rushing up to me.

I shut my eyes tightly, letting my body go limp. I let my mind go blank as I toppled hundreds of feet in the air. I felt….relaxed…for some strange reason. My mind just cleared.

Suddenly I realized I want falling anymore. I felt something wet splash on my nose. I opened my eyes and was blinded the sunsets glare on the water.

I gasped at being so close to the water and dropped gently into the water.

Water! Panic! Panic!

I cried out, spluttering water from my mouth. All sense lost I struggled in the water, voices in my head screaming bloody murder.

I felt my body gently lift from the water. I looked down as I hovered over the crystal waters, wondering if this was my doing.

Alas not. Raven continued to telekinetically haul me up back to the roof and set me down next to her, as I coughed up lungfuls of water.

"Never. Again" I spluttered, starting to feel sick, "Never. Fucking. Again."

"Yes again," Raven argued, "Right now in fact."

"Nu-no" I coughed, crawling away from her across the roof.

Raven sighed, trailing behind me.

"Naomi, look, you did it! You cleared your mind and found inner peace before you hit the water. That was you who stopped yourself. Right before you lost concentration and fell in the water. Just do it again."

I did that?

I reared up in the air and shot directly into the air like a bullet. I had done it! Good for me! Then I notice I was high in the sky, higher than the tower. I dangled in the air for a moment, then I felt a wave of peace wash over me. Water scares me. But being in the sky is just...free.

I practiced flying around. I flew slowly backwards and forwards. Turning and stopping. Then I did a loop in the air causing my stomach to do a flip flop. One may think flying is frightening, but its not. Its sheer and utter control. I will myself around in the air as I would will myself to walk or run. I lightly sailed on the breeze, soaking in the suns final rays before it disappeared completely, looking almost as if its fire had been swallowed up by the ocean. I smiled as tried to land softly on the roof next to Raven, but my knees buckled beneath me and I fell down. Oh well, I'll get better with more practice.

"You did very well." Raven complemented, "But you might want to work on you landing."

Authors note: PLEASE REVIEW! Its frusterating redoing this entire series and not getting any feedback. If you are reading this now, you have a moral obligation to click that review button and tell me what you think. If something is good, tell me. If somthing is bad, tell me.


	10. The adress

As Starfire proudly declared, it was now the appropriate time for a supper. As we all sat down at a long table in the dinner area, I excitedly told everyone about my powers.

"Glorious!!"

"Well all right!"

"Slade doesn't stand a chance!!"

"Slade?" I asked looking at all of them.

"You know," Beastboy said unconcernedly as he set a pile of napkins on the table, "Evil madman bent on taking over the world."

"Let me guess," I said grinning, "And he would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for you meddling kids." They all stopped what they were doing and stared at me.

"Never mind." I said quickly, forgetting that my humor needed to jump about 150 years in the future.

"So, its was your turn to make dinner, Raven, what did you make?" asked Robin cheerfully in the direction of the kitchen. Raven glided out of the swinging doors of the kitchen and unenthusiastically dropped four TV dinners on the table and left upstairs. I poked at one suspiciously.

"Its still frozen," I said critically, "Lets just order pizza."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dinner we all, even Raven, sat down on the soft red sofa, to watch TV on the big screen. I didn't know any of the shows that were on, or any of the celebrities, but I watched them anyway. One show was particularly funny, what did Cyborg call it? I think it was called... I don't know... something about a hat? Oh well, I liked it, it was funny. After it was over, Robin felt he had assert his manliness by surfing the channels for halve an hour. He finally rested one channel 34 after Starfire wailed that she wanted to watch shows.

"And in further news, the Teen Titans will address the city about the new Titan at 8:00 tomorrow. Little is known of her, but the city is anticipating-" click. The screen went black. Robin turned to me.

"We try not to watch ourselves on TV." He explained. Then he turned to the rest of the team. "Titans!! Bed! We have a big day tomorrow." I glanced at the clock, it was 9:54, but it felt so much later.

Chattering sleepily, Starfire and I went up to the bathroom we shared, which was now a mess thanks to me, and changed into our pajamas and brushed our teeth. Then I washed my face as Starfire brushed her hair, then I took the brush and she took the soap. Then we walked down the long hall and I knocked one each door on the way down to mine. I knocked on Beastboy's.

"Night." I said to the closed door. He replied with just a sleepy grunt.

I knocked on Cyborgs door.

"Night."

"Night." Cyborg vioce replied.

I walked to Robin's door.

"Night."

"Till tomorrow."

"Night Raven."

"More or less," she replied through the door obviously not a bit sleepy.

"Night Starfire," I said as we split to our different rooms. I walked into my room; stubbing my toe on all the things I never put way. At least my carpet had dried…sort of. Good enough.

I collapsed into my bed exhausted from my long day. I snuggled under my warm covers and fell asleep before I had time to worry about tomorrows address.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sighed as I felt the hot water splatter on my bare back. It was 5:45 in the morning. A tragedy to be up at this hour. I had hoped my shower would relax me but I still had the sick to my stomach feeling from the time I had woke up this morning. Wouldn't you know it; I still was startled not to wake up in my old room. Right now, I wish I had.

What if the city didn't like me?

What if I screwed up or something?

What if, what if, what if.

"Naomi? Please do not use up all the hot water for showers for I have to bath as well." Starfire called through the door

"Sure Starfire," I replied turning off the shower knobs and stepping out of the shower. After I wrapped my hair up in a towel and slipped on my new bathrobe I opened the door, letting the steam out of the bathroom so the mirrors would defog.

"I am so exited!" Starfire informed me as she walked off down the hall.

I felt the cold air tear through the warm showered air. I shut the door again and finished drying off. I pulled on my cloths and smoothed out my dress, I began to feel even more uneasy.

I wouldn't have to talk, would I? This was way beyond just getting up in front of a class and giving a report. Millions of people would be watching, and... Judging me. Oh god...

I plugged in my new blow-dryer into the outlet by the mirror and dried my now sparkling clean hair straight. I brushed my part to its usual slightly off centered location and ran my fingers through to get any last minute knots out.

I start putting on my usual minimum amount of make up on. Then I realized that maybe I should put a little more on. Just because I would be on camera. Oh geez…cameras. I don't photograph well. It's the blonde hair on pale skin! It all seems to blend together to make me look like a ghost.

I stood back from the mirror and inspected my face, taking note of every aspect. I tilted my head to see which my best angle was. I gave up and opened the door and stepped out.

"Star? I'm done!" I called through the hall.

"Thank you friend!" She said popping out of nowhere, making me jump.

"Starfire! Don't do that!"

She hurried into the bathroom and I heard the sounds of her brushing her teeth. I walked to the kitchen. I was in desperate need of coffee. I was relived to find a pot already brewing. Thank god. I poured my self a cup.

I hate how coffee tastes, but what can I say? I'm addicted to it. I usually put tons of sugar and milk in it, Naomi used to tease me about it. She would tell people that I liked a little bit of coffee with my cream and sugar. But I didn't know where they kept the sugar, so I just added milk. I drank it down, trying not to taste it, or let it touch my teeth. Last thing I needed was to have coffee stained teeth for the cameras.

"Your up early" I heard Ravens voice behind me.

I turned, still gripping the hot mug of coffee, "So are you."

"Oh, I never went to sleep," She replied dully. I stared at her a little strangely. Ravens a strange one. But, hey, aren't all of us? I'm not exactly normal myself anymore.

"Hey, Raven," I paused, choosing my words carefully, "We should hang out sometime, well not "hang" out, but we should, like, get away from the tower for a little while…sometime."

To my surprise, she actually looked thoughtfully for a moment.

"Yeah," she said slowly, "I could take you to The Gothic, but of course, I'd have to pretend not to know you."

"Sounds like a plan!" I said happily, helping myself to ridiculous amounts of coffee.

"You are nervous." Raven stated suddenly.

"How could you tell?" I asked sarcastically, pouring some milk into my cup. She looked over at me. 

"Don't worry. You're…fitting in…more or less."

"Oh Raven, flattery will get you no where!"

The corners of her lips twitched slightly.

"Whoa!! For a second there I thought I was going to see an expression! But I guess it was just a false alarm." She allowed the smallest smile to penetrate her unhappy face. I felt someone's hands from behind me close in around my throat.

"I van to suck your blood!!" A voice hissed in my ear.

"Go play in traffic Beastboy," Raven said angrily. I laughed and pushed Beastboy away. He shrugged and began bussling around making himself a breakfast of dry toast and soymilk.

"Oh yum." I said sarcastically as he sat down beside me, and dipped his bread into his soymilk.

"Want some?"

"It's tempting..." I said pretending to think about it, "But I'll pass." I reached over to a box of Titan –o's that was sitting on the table. I pored some of the brightly colored cereal into my hand.

"Awww, how cute!" I exclaimed, "There are little marshmallows in the shape of Ts!"

"AWWWWWWWW!!" Beastboy said in a high nasally voice mimicking mine, "AWWWWWWWW HOW CUTE!!" I threw my hand full of cereal at him.

"Hey!!" he said, as if that was uncalled for. Just then Cyborg walked in yawning and put in some sausage and eggs in the microwave.

"Morning, y'all," he said sleepily, rubbing his human hand on his human eye.

"Morning," Beastboy and I said at the same time. Cyborg sat down and started eating some cereal while waiting for his breakfast to be done heating. I looked over to Beastboy, whose mouth was set in a firm line, glaring at Cyborg for going to eat so many animal products. I was going to cheer him up, but then I heard Robins voice coming in the door.

"And that's why human girls wear make up Star," he said exasperatedly, and then he turned to me, "Um, Naomi, a little help here." 

I stood up, looking confused. As I made my way past Robin, I saw Starfire standing behind him, looking ashamed. 

Star had gotten into my make up. She had pink lipstick smeared from her chin to her nose and gotten lip gloss on her forehead, and put my black mascara in her eyebrows. And to finish the look, she had gotten my bright blue shimmer eye shadow on her cheeks.

"I am still unfamiliar with the human concept of beauty," she explained, looking unsure, "Have I applied the appearance enhancer incorrectly?"

We all just sat there staring; sometimes the funniest things in the world take a while to sink in. Then the kitchen, except Raven, erupted in laughter. Even Robin tried to cover a smile, while Raven calmly sipped her tea.

"Have... have I done something humorous?" asked Starfire weakly looking at all of us.

"No Star, here come with me," I said giggling as I pulled her out of the room and into a nearby bathroom. I wet a washcloth and started to wash off her make up. I didn't know anything was wrong until I noticed how low she hung her head.

"Star?" I asked. She looked up at me with tears in her bright green eyes.

"Oh no! No, Star! Don't cry!" I said, starting to feel really bad.

"Why did you and the others engage in meanness laughter?" She asked accusingly.

"No Star!! We weren't laughing at you! We...we... we were laughing with you!" I cringed at the lameness of my own excuse. She would never fall for that!

"But Naomi, I was not laughing."

"Well, not with you, with you. On the inside with you. Because we like you." Did that even make any sense?

"Oh alright," She said brightly. I like Star and all, but she has a lot to learn about Earth. But at least she wasn't mad.

"Here Star, let's go up to our bathroom, I'll show you the right way to put on make up."

Back in our bathroom, I critically looked over Starfire's face. I had done a good job. I had put a little shinny lip-gloss over her lips and used a little mascara to enhance her big green eyes. Maybe I had done too good of a job. In spite of my usual character, I started to feel a little jealous. She looked great.

"Oh thank you friend!" she exclaimed as she wrapped her shockingly strong arms around me in a bone crunching hug. All the jealous feelings I had towards her a minute ago washed away. As we walked back into the kitchen I noticed Robin's eyes follow Starfire's every move. I sat down a seat away from Robin.

"Sit here Star!" I exclaimed pointing to the seat next to Robin. Starfire sat down, blushing a little in Robin's direction. Robin smiled at her. I used my foot to scoot her chair closer to his. They both smiled at each other. No one was commenting one Stars make-up problem, Robin must have told them to drop it.

"Ok, Titans," Robin said when he was done making googley eyes at Star, "Time to leave." I felt my stomach drop. What would I say?

"Just don't worry about it," Raven whispered to me as the rest of the team stood up, "You will be fine." 


	11. showdown

Well, I suppose it could have been worse. Basically Robin got behind this podium in front of countless cameras and reporters, and then he said some stuff about how we were going to save the city and defeat evil bla, bla, bla. Then he shook hands with the mayor, and then the mayor got up and said some cool stuff. Then the mayor, who was a plump jolly man in a brown suit with a red tie with a white mustache pulled me up to stand with him.

As I stood there, in front of countless people and cameras, he asked me how it felt to be with the team and then I... just froze. My eyes got big and round and I just stared at the cameras. I looked over to Robin who waved his hands desperately trying to get me to talk.

"Awww, poor little thing is just camera shy!!" the mayor said a little too brightly, obviously covering for me drawing a blank. Raven jumped to her feet and dragged me away from the podium.

"Wait!" I cried as I pushed her off me and rushed back up to the podium.

"I'm very proud to be apart of this team!" I said desperately trying to redeem myself.

The cameras went crazy and started snapping picture. The reporters started yelling questions, I answered some of them, but then I got overwhelmed and Robin decided I had had enough for one day.

As we all walked back to the T-car, which is probably the most complicated car I had ever seen; the reporters had obviously decided that they weren't done with me. Trust me, reporters are vicious! I'd rather face this Slade guy that a pack of reporters. They followed us to the car. One reporter even had the nerve to trip me, just trying to get on interesting shot of me for a magazine. Thankfully, Starfire caught me before I fell. I turned around to tell the guy off, but Robin elbowed me, and shook his head. Robin is so image possessed! Is there like, someone out there that he is trying to prove himself to? I glared at the reporter, just to show my spirit hadn't been broken.

We all piled into the car, and the reporters surrounded the car, trying to yell questions through the glass. To tell you the truth, it was a little scary; one reporters face was mashed up against the glass because of the swarm of other reporters fighting to get through to the car. I actual felt a little scared, I scooted as close into the middle of the seats as possible; unfortunately Beastboy was already sitting there.

"Naomi! Get off! What are you trying to do? Rape me?" He said grinning good-naturedly. So I good-naturedly smacked his face with my hand. When Cyborg started the car, he revved it a couple times, sending the reporters scattering like chickens. I felt relived.

"You did well," Robin commented, turning around from shotgun to talk back to me behind him.

"I didn't say much," I replied frowning.

"That's ok, that was even better than ok! They all thought it was cute."

"I'm not cute." I muttered grumpily. I did not want to be portrayed as cute.

"Beastboy used to be the cute one," Raven said dully, not really talking to anyone.

"Hey! I still am the cute one!" Beastboy exclaimed looking insulted. I was about to respond to his last statement, but I got interrupted.

Cyborg cursed suddenly, swerving the car, causing me to fall on Beastboy. I hadn't been wearing a seatbelt, so it really was my fault.

"What the hell?!" Beastboy and I yelled at the same time as we collided into each other. Cyborg craned his neck to see out the back windshield.

"Damn it. The H.I.V.E.!!" He cursed more, as the car screeched to a stop. The second the car stopped, all the doors opened at once. All five Titans jumped out in unison and assumed a battle position. Except for me. I just sat there, unaware of what was happening. The H.I.V.E.? What? I tried to scramble out after them but Cyborg blocked my way.

"No, no, no you don't!" he said sternly, "You stay here. You haven't had any battle training yet! We don't need you getting yourself hurt. Stay. In The. Car."

"What? Are you crazy? I want to-" I asked angry, as I tried to get out of the car.

"Stay." He commanded as if I was some sort of dog. He shut the door and ran to join the team who were defiantly standing up to three strange teenagers.

One was a girl with a evil smirk that seemed to be permanently set to her pale skinned face, as she stood with her hands on her slender hips. She sported dark blue and black clothing, and her purple hair was in two thick strange looking pigtails that seemed to stick up in a funny fashion. The other two were male.

One was an absolute giant! He must have towered over ten feet tall! He even made Cyborg look tiny. He had a squashed monkey face with brown shoulder length hair. All brawn and no brain, I suppose.

The last one was the complete opposite.

He was extremely tiny, almost cute. He couldn't be taller then four feet! He wore a dark body suit that was cover with little blinking electronics. He also prized a pair of goggles that he wore on the top of his head, and a little backpack that seemed to weigh him down, causing his knees to buckle under the weight. He was extremely pale, like the kind of person who had gone frail from spending all their time inside tinkering with electronics that actually go out side and see the world. I shook my head. The others had to be crazy to think I was going to sit in a car and miss this.

I quietly opened the car door and slunk out and hid behind a nearby dumper to get the best view I could.

"What do you losers want?" Beastboy sneered, talking to the three teens.

The girl, who was obviously the leader, was the first to speak,

"Boss man told us to come here and give the new girl a nice welcome," She sneered, "Slade said that a proper salutations was in order."

"You can't scare her away!" Robin said confidently. I looked in disgust to the girl and started to immediately dislike her.

"Well," the little boy asked in a shrill voice, "Where is she?" The teens looked around.

"I think you guys have bigger things to worry about," Robin said in a dangerous voice.

"Oh yeah?"

Then the fight erupted in the middle of the street. Robin and the girl had a face off in the middle of the street, but he was losing, this girl was too quick for him. She dodged each blow he made at her, responding with almost catlike attacks that wares down the opponent. Light kicks to the head and small punches to the abdomen were so quick, they were almost inblockable.

Cyborg and Starfire sent off sonic blasted and star bolt combo in the direction of the little guy while Beastboy transformed into an elephant and tried to pick him up with his trunk, but the little boys back backpack exploded into metal spider legs and take him out of Beastboy's reach.

While Raven squared off with the big guy, but she was losing badly as well, every time she tried to attack, he would stomp his foot, sending a tremor thought he ground causing her to fall and lose concentration. This is terrible! I sat feeling hopeless as I watched my friends take blow after blow.

Suddenly, I felt rage boil inside of me. I can't just sit here! How can they expect me too? Through gritted teeth I whispered,

"Its. Not. FAIR!"

With the last word fire erupted from the cracks in the pavement, not only startling the HIVE but the rest of the titans as well. Immense heat began scorching the ground, warping the metal dumpster I hid behind and eventually causing it to cave in itself.

Before I could realize my hiding spot was gone I felt a ham sized fist collide with the sided of my head. I was thrown across the smoking pavement, skidding across the road painfully. Before I stopped I kicked my legs up underneath me and flipped myself right side and my boots took the rest of the impact as I came to a stop. Before I had time to react, the bigger one was basically upon me.

I ducked and dodged him as best as I could, more or less scrambling out of his reach. I jumped in the air, only to come crashing down to earth. I can't fly! Panicked voices wailed in my head as the bigger one grabbed my leg as I crawled across the pavement in desperation, that was now cooled from the heat with a heavy dowsing of water.

"No!"

He flipped me on my back as I kicked him desperately with my free leg. Only one kick hit, but made a sickening crunch as it connected with his jaw.

He released my leg, and roared in pain as he clutched his jaw that seemed to be hanging at a funny angle.

I jumped to my feet, ignoring my own injuries and scrambled away, trying desperately to take flight. I faintly heard Raven yelling to me. I couldn't hear her, but I began to realize that I could fly because I was panicked. I heard earth shattering explosions behind me and looked back and saw the monster coming up behind me, casting away cars as if they were pillows clearing his path to me. He looked completely outraged as he mouth dangled open.

I sat in the middle of the street as he approached closer and closer. One car totaled after the next. I sat there and shut my eyes, trying to concentrate.

Happy thoughts, panicked voiced in my head screamed, why can't you do this!?!

Suddenly, I remembered something from yesterday. Fruit snacks.

I love fruit snacks.

I felt myself straighten in the air and glide off the ground. I looked down and saw the mammoth monster howling up at me from the ground below.

My favorite ones are the red ones, cherry is such a good flavor.

I struggled to gain altitude as sledgehammer fists swung at me from below as the monkey looking man scaled the building to keep up with me.

Green is pretty good too. Only not when its green apple.

I heard Robin yelling at me from the ground, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. Nor did I care. I had bigger things to worry about. Much bigger.

I felt the breeze of Raven taking position beside me. She telekinetically lifter a car and heaved it at him. When it hit him and sent him flying off the building and toppling to the pavement below, I though we had won, but no, that would have been too easy.

Next thing I knew, the car was being chucked right back up at us from the ground, the wind from the car defying gravity caused me to waver in the air and fly higher. Now we were too high for him to reach from the ground, so he started scaling the building again, in a very King Kong fashion, in hopes of knocking us out of the air.

Raven and I looked at each other. Raven sent a dark energy blast right into his gut knocking him away from the building so he wouldn't damage anything other then pavement when he hit. Then I zoomed directly up above him.

Its so scary to think about drowning.

I wavered slightly in the air, but blasted him from above with uncontrollable amounts of water, causing him to hit the street twice as hard. Pavement exploded in every direction. I looked down and was shocked to see that the big one had created a five-foot crater in the street.

Yes!! Victory!! I dropped out of the air to the street, still not perfect at landing and lowered a hand in the direction of the crater.

I though about when my dog had gotten hit by a car, and immediately caused a swarm of thick vines to spring out of the cracks of the pavement to tie him down. He struggled and groaned but within seconds was completely bound to the ground by the cocoon of vines; you couldn't even see him anymore.

Yes!! We won!! I started jumping up and down unable to control my excitement.

"Yes, yes, yes!!" I squealed, dancing around the hole. I just was in my very first fight! And I did a good job for the most part, thank you very much!! Raven bent over and inspected the vines with a delicate finger.

"That'll hold him," she said confidently. I was beyond pleased, its like, the first time you can ride a bike without your dad holding up the back of the seat for you. I spread my arms and rocketed into the air twirling and laughing. Then I arched my back in the air and shot down back again but before I hit I stopped and landed for the first time gracefully on my feet. I finally got the hang of landing. I looked over to Raven who had one eyebrow arched.

"It's my victory flight," I explained to her.

"Naomi!" My happiness was smothered as I heard Robin's stern voice behind me. I looked around to see Robin looking kinda angry, his arms crossed and frowning. I looked over and saw the others had done quite a number on the other two teens, Cyborg was holding the little one immobile while the girl was lying on the pavement, sporting a nasty looking cut on her forehead. I knew Robin was mad but I couldn't help blurting out,

"Did you guys see that?!?!" Robin sighed, and must have decide that he couldn't be that mad because he smiled and said,

"Yeah, that was good, excellent actually."

"And it came so naturally, like my powers were just waiting to explode out of me!" I put unnecessary emphases on "explode", mimicking an explosion with my arms. I was so excited that I hardly noticed when Raven and Robin exchanged dark looks at my last statement. But the others didn't seem notice,

"I must say Naomi, you kicked ass!" Cyborg said punching my shoulder with his free arm while his robotic on had an ironclad grip on the little boy, who was squirming and kicking furiously.

"Yay!!" Starfire exclaimed clapping her hands, bobbling in the air. But it was Beastboy who looked quite beside himself,

"You did good!" he exclaimed happily, switching form from animal to animal at random.

"Now, don't let the magnitude of this history making moment spoil your grammar," Cyborg said to his green little buddy.

All of a sudden I was blinded. Absolutely blinded.

CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, CLICK.

I squinted my eyes trying to see through the blinding lights. The clicking and lights from hundreds of reporters enveloped us just as the police arrived to take away the three teens. Oh hell, the reporters found us. Then all the reports started yelling at ones,

"Over here please!"

"How did you do it?"

"Do you feel any resentment towards Mammoth?"

"Naomi! Over here!"

"Are you injured in any way?" 

"You didn't seem to have very good grasp of your powers, how much training have you had?" 

"How dose it feel to be the rookie?"

I stumbled backwards, looking hopelessly into the sea that is the media. Police were trying to cut their way through the crowd, but it was no use. The dense crowd was almost impenetrable. What are these people problems? Starfire and I looked at each other, and then we turned to the others.

"I don't know how you guys are getting home, but we're flying."

And with that Starfire and I left the swarm of reporters on the ground. 


	12. end book one

The soft murmur of poetry rolled over the many tables and seemed to bounce off the walls, echoing eerily.

I munched happily on a cinnamon roll, while listening to the hum of quiet voices, completely uninterested. Raven had her elbows leaned on our table, as she rested her chin on her hands, concentrating completely on the poetry being read by a very lonely looking boy who sat on a stool on the center of a small wooden stage. She was really interested in this poetry, more than I was anyway. I think it's her only way to be able to express emotions, through pen and paper.

I looked around the gloomy café, it certainly was depressing. With its black walls and blood red drapes over the windows blocking out the sun. The midnight blue soft chairs and tables were the brightest thing in the whole place, except if you counted the red neon sign over the dimly lit stage that flashed THE GOTHIC. It defiantly wasn't a place I'd want to go alone; most seemed like harmless emotional teenagers, but honestly, there were some shady looking characters as well. I looked down at my spotless white uniform.

"Am I sticking out?" I whispered to Raven.

"Yes, you look like an idiot." She said bluntly before ignoring me again. Fine then.

"You have a bad attitude." I whispered back. She rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the boy who had decided he wasn't done with his suicidal poetry.

I grew bored, having a very short attention span, and reached across the midnight blue table to take a drink of Ravens herbal tea. I let the hot liquid swish from cheek to cheek in my mouth a minute before I swallowed it and made a face. It was bitter. All it needs is some sugar, I thought absent mindedly as I returned the cup back to Raven.

"Oh sure, help yourself." She whispered eyes still on the stage.

"Oh, don't worry Raven; I've got my cootie shot."

"Well, as long as you're not contagious."

Then I thought for a moment, "Hey Raven, I'm gonna order some hot chocolate, okey dokey?" She tore her eyes from the boy as he exited the stage and slowly turned her head to me,

"Hot chocolate and okey dokey? What are you? Five?"

"No" I hissed defensively, "I just happen to like hot chocolate. With whipped cream, and those little chocolate sprinkles. They better make it that way here too, or else I will be mad."

I waved over to a waiter who was passing by, who was dressed in a black uniform that said THE GOTHIC in little red letters near his right shoulder. I suppose he was cute, not that I'm attracted to the dark and tormented type. His jet black, ear length hair was shocking next to his pale face, and his lip stud defiantly gave him a "stay far away from me" look. But the most shocking thing of all was his eyes. His eyes were a striking light blue that seamed to pierce into you when he looked your direction, and as if his eyes weren't already intense, he had taken black eyeliner to his eyes, to give himself a living dead look. Making his face seem even more deathly pale. I noticed Raven shift uncomfortably in her squashy blue chair.

"Oh, hello..." I glanced to his name tag, "Seth, I was wondering if I could get a hot chocolate. With marshmallows, whipped cream and sprinkles. And if it not made like that, I will be very angry with you" I laughed as I reiterated what I had told Raven earlier. I looked up at him expectantly, but he didn't say anything. He just stared at me with is creepy blue eyes. I started to feel uncomfortable and broke the gaze and I uncomfortably looked down the floor.

"Oh. Penny." I reached down to pick it up. When I returned to upright position, Seth was gone. I looked over to Raven; she had this funny expression I couldn't quite read.

"Raven?" I asked, "Raven? Are you ok?" She didn't say anything. Seth returned with my hot chocolate a few moments later.

"Hey….there's no whipped cream….or sprinkles…or marshmallows" I observed disappointedly, "Now I am angry with you Seth!"

Ravens eyes grew huge with horror.

"I'm sorry, she's acting so stupid," She murmured to Seth. What is she talking about?

Wait… Wait a second here!! I looked closer to Ravens face. Was that? Yes! A little blush had risen in her normally pale face, and the cup she was holding in her hands seemed to be glowing. Beads of ceramic began trickling down the handle as she gazed at the floor. Seth didn't reply, but gave her an understanding nod of his head, and left.

"Um, Raven I think your cup is melting."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey!" I exclaimed as I nosily entered the tower with Raven who I think might be mad at me right now, "what are you crazy kids doin'?

Cyborg was sitting cross-legged while Beastboy was hanging upside-down over the edge of the red sofa. They looked up from their video game and smiled. I glanced over to the table, there was a news paper clipping I saved, it was announcing my address, but it was about a week old by now.

"They are playing pointless video games," Raven replied irritably, as if she was talking to the crazy, "They are always playing video games."

"Oh, stop trying to make it sound so obvious," I laughed.

"Well Naomi, I see that everything is going downhill, I'll see you at dinner." She turned and exited the room.

"Later Rae" I replied as I flopped down next to Beastboy and Cyborg.

"Rae?" asked Beastboy with one eyebrow raised. I shrugged.

"I called her that yesterday, and she didn't kill me, so I think nicknaming her is free game."

Beastboy seemed impressed for a moment, then his car spun off the race track, causing him to yelling in distress and throw his controller across the room. Cyborg jumped to his feet and declared his victory.

"Hey! Wanna play video games with us?" asked Beastboy asked hopefully, maybe thinking I would be an easier opponent then Cyborg, who probably is related to the game station.

"Eh… video games aren't really my thing, but sure, what games do you have?" I asked as Beastboy pulled out Cyborgs and Beastboy's shrine of games for their game station, ok, fine, it's just a tattered brown cardboard box. Beastboy started naming all his and Cyborgs favorite games as I pawed through the box.

"We have Reflection, the whole Tremor series, oh, and Watts! I love that one! It's the one where you race the-"

"Don't you have Mario somewhere?" I interrupted. Cyborg gasped and Beastboy's jaw dropped.

"Naomi, are you serious? DON'T even joke around like that!" Cyborg said wide eyed, "Mario is like, literally 150 years old! Not even a two year old will touch it!"

"I like Mario," I replied, "Its simple. All you have to do is press A over and over. Ah! Found it!" I stared in amazement. The silly boys haven't even opened it!

I tore off the packaging and slid the disk into the game station. Brightly colored, heavily pixilated graphics filled the screen as the cheerful music echoed through the room. Beastboy found this all highly amusing, and started laughing, as I started playing.

Up – down – straight – up – straight - up collect the coin - jump on the mushroom!

I guess Mario is some sort of big joke in the future, not like it wasn't from my time. Cyborg was still trying to understand how anyone in their right mind would honestly want to play Mario.

"But, but, there's no element of danger!" he argued as little Mario bounced up and down on the screen.

"Yes there is," I argued right back, not taking my eyes off the screen as I scooted even closer, my nose an inch away, "That Goomba was heading right towards me, but thankfully he walked straight off the edge. But I was so scared."

Beastboy shook his head with a smile on his green little face, and tossed me a Teen Titans fruit snack from a new box the companies sent today. I was so into getting Mario over the horribly terrifying and complicated wheel of fire that I didn't even notice the little blue Naomi's that I popped into my mouth.

Starryreloaded: Well, that's it for book one. The next two are so much better, I promise! It's so hard to introduce a new character, it really is. I admit, my original story was so ragingly Sue, that was one of the things I am trying to erase from my updated versions.

I really take my hat off to those who can successfully introduce an OC without making her/him a Sue. It's so hard to detail any character without over glorifying him/her. And the cannon characters themselves aren't really dimensional. One of the problems with my old stories is that Naomi grasped her powers entirely two quickly, I made it more complicated her. Also, Raven and she became friends to soon as well, something I tried to prolong in this story, and they still aren't friends here.

I welcome any criticism, and as long as it is constructive, I will take it to heart.

LOOK OUT FOR BOOK TWO


End file.
